Life will Change
by Alexandria Volturi
Summary: The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters. Tell me how can I be happy when I've been reborn into a world where giant naked humanoid creatures eat you? Rewrite of Wings of Fate!
1. Chapter 1

**Alex:Hello everyone! Welcome to the rewrite of what was once called Wing's of Fate. To those who read the original will recognize this chapter is fairly the same as the original but I added a few changes and cut out some lines. Chapter two will be roughly the same but with more detail and a scene change.**

**It's been such a long time since I was in the AOT fandom and god have I missed it. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter, I have a lot planned and a lot of things I'm changing up. So, to old reviewers I welcome you back and new ones hello and welcome!**

**XxxXxx**

**Chapter 1: Rebirth**

I wish I could say that my death was awesome - that I went out with a bang. You know how in movies or anime where the main character sacrifices themselves bravely, all the while smiling at the person they were saving, before doing something really awesome and kamikaziing their enemy... And as the rain falls gently on their limp body, they stare up at the sky, the smile sticking to their face as they slowly pass on; the light in their eyes fade and their breath slows down to nothing. They may be nothing more than an empty shell, a once-lively corpse - but their actions would be retold and remembered far after their death.

But my death wasn't something as grand as that. I didn't die saving anyone I loved.

I drowned.

That's really all there is to it... I think. My memories of before are growing rather hazy... Did someone push me? Or was I just unfortunate? I can't remember. However, the sensation of falling into something cold and encasing is something I remember quite well.

Ice cold needles stung my body and the cold pressed on my ribs as a cracking sound filled my ears, and I screamed involuntarily - but my scream was muffled and garbled by the water that began pouring down my throat. Eyes wide in shock and freezing water burning my lungs, I realised I'd fallen into a river (_Why was I at the river? How had I fallen in?_) that was frozen over. I remember it being winter when I died - but everything else was out of reception like an old television - except for the panic that burned through my body and my wild, thrashing movements as I tried desperately, hopelessly to get to get to the surface -

Ice was blocking my way. I couldn't get out. The ice was blocking my way. I punched it, and a low drumming sound reverberated through the ice - the kind of sound you hear in movies with glaciers - but the ice remained unbroken and my lungs remained burning. Fear coursed through my body as I began frantically beating at the solid ice, but my movements were slowed by the frigid water and the ice seemed as hard as iron. I wanted to scream, cry for help - but my lungs were already half filled with water, and I had to viciously cling to the tiny amount of breath I had left.

I kept beating desperately at the ice, but the cold was not merciful. Slowly, it crept throughout my body, freezing my fingers and my toes then hands and feet, inching through my veins - and the further it got, the slower my movements became - until finally, it wormed its way into my heart and I could no longer move. The pain in my lungs had become more distant now, something that existed in the background, growing hazier by the second just as my vision was. I didn't want to give up, but my body was past it's limit. I could no longer fight. The realisation was peaceful, almost, and I felt tranquil as my body went limp and the last bubbles of air escaped my waterlogged lungs. Far above me I could make out the sun's light reflecting beautifully against the ice as I sunk lower and lower into death's cold grasp. I tried lifting my hand upwards to grasp at that beautiful light but my arm didn't obey my command. I couldn't feel anything as black dots waltzed across my vision making everything around me grow fuzzier and dimmier till nothing but a sable oblivion remained.

I was dead, and floating in darkness.

It was a disconcerting sensation - I couldn't tell which way was up or down (or any other direction for that matter), and I couldn't tell if this dark place was warm or cold - my entire body felt numb and despondent. I tried moving but found this dark and seemingly endless place to be surprisingly cramped. What was this place? Is this what happens when people die? It was certainly an unsettling experience.

I always wagered heaven or hell awaited you when you died, the fact I didn't get either was a bit of a let down.

I could barely stretch my limbs - was I shoved inside of something? Was I... still alive...? My lungs were no longer in pain, and the numbness was slowly fading to... warmth?

Perhaps I'd been rescued - it was possible I was stuck in a coma, trapped inside my own mind - would I ever wake up...?

Panic began to grow within my chest again, so I switched back to focusing on the dark space around me. It was then I realised that my chest was moving as if it were breathing - but what passed through my windpipes was fluid, not air.

I was dead, definitely dead. The afterlife might be warm, but I was dead.

There it was - a bright white light that was practically beckoning me to go towards it. Not that I could do much in my cramped space -

Movement. The space was pressing in on me, pushing me out - towards the light. My heart sped up in my chest at the sudden change - wait, my heart works? - and my body moved, slowly but surely, towards the gradually widening white speck of light. Then, I was alive? A tentative hope bloomed in my beating heart as I got closer to the light.

When I finally passed into the light, several things happened at once:

I was thoroughly blinded, and scrunched up my eyes as a reflex.

Everything sounded muffled.

I took a deep breath of air and let out a scream of happiness and relief.

I realised someone was holding me... My saviour, perhaps?

If I had indeed been saved from drowning, I wanted to see who had saved me. Were they the reason I felt so warm? Slowly, I cracked my eyes open, letting my eyes adjust to the light.

The first thing I noticed was not my saviour, but instead the filthy state of the room I was in. Everything was covered in grime - which completely eliminated the chance of me being in a clean, sterile hospital - and the items in the room pointed more towards me being in someone's home, rather than any type of facility. A broken chair sat in a corner, behind a broken table - piles of junk and rags littered the floor of the room, and a broken gas lamp (Was everything in this room broken?) was what allowed the room a small amount of light. My saviour had definitely taken me to their house rather than a hospital - a strange and worrying decision.

"Here she is," said a feminine voice that was filled with compassion and love, which immediately dispersed the growing worry that I'd been rescued by a madman. Then, whoever was holding me passed me gently to someone else. That was weird. I was a full grown teenager, how could someone pass me around so easily - my body felt different. Not different like sick different, but different like alien different. Nothing was where it should be - arms were shorter, legs were shorter - I was smaller... Like, baby small.

_No oh no oh no_, my mind screamed in protest. _What's going on this isn't real this doesn't make any sense please let me be captured by a madman who has slipped me acid_ _oh god the people are so BIG why is this happening _\- my inner monologuing was abruptly cut off as one of the two big people (both women, both bony and unhealthy looking) wrapped a rough blanket around my small frame and held me close to her chest. My tiny heart began beating rapidly - who was this woman and what was she going to do to me? - and I forced myself to look up at her face, only to be greeted with light blond hair framing a loving gaze. Somehow, her vibrant green eyes calmed me - the woman was genuine with her love.

"Hello, Sora. It's so good to finally meet you," the woman whispered with happy tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. _Sora? Who is_ \- I realised she meant me, and the full gravity of my current situation hit me. I did drown. I had died. But instead of going to heaven or hell, I'd been reincarnated - something I'd never even considered a valid theory in my past life...

_Then..._ I looked up at the woman holding me. _This person is my mother? _The concept was so weird, so alien.

"I read in a book I found that the name Sora means sky," the woman holding me said, pulling me from my thoughts. _Well, I guess... She's my mother now_... I thought as I gazed up at her. The other woman, a brunette with matching brown eyes, smiled in response. My mother brought me closer to her chest, and craned her head down to whisper lovingly in my ear: "I've never seen the sky myself, but that's alright. I have you now."

Involuntarily, I let out a yawn. My small body felt tired, my brain hurt and my eyes drooped... I guessed I'd have to figure out where I was later, some impoverished country by the looks of things... The last thing I saw before my eyes drooped shut was my new mother smiling down at me.

**XxxXxx**

The first 5 months of my life were spent confined inside the hovel of a place that me and my mother called home. I slept inside a broken wooden crate that served as a crib on a pile of rags and blankets at the end of the junk-filled mattress that served as my mother's bed, and I had to deal with the problems of being a teenager being stuck in a baby's body: No solid foods, and whenever I thought I could just get up and walk to grab something I wanted I fell straight back on my ass. Reaching for things was a pain, too - my arms always feel like they're longer than they are. And, I had to deal with the awkwardness that was breastfeeding - I mean, this woman was my _mother_! You don't suck your own mother's breasts! - at least, that was my line of thinking before remembering that I was a hungry baby and that is exactly what hungry babies do.

No, that's too awkward to remember. Let's move on.

It didn't take me long to figure out my mother's line of work - her colleague (the brown haired woman who had helped bring me into this world), Erina, loved to talk about the troubles she had with her clients while I was around, much to mum's disapproval. My mother's line of work as a prostitute didn't bother me so much as the bruises she sometimes sported when she got back home. But, she was a good mother regardless - always making sure I was happy and fed. I watched her studiously weave rags together just to make me a doll to play with - the only toy I owned (the doll's name was Angela. Mom named her that. She's my best friend).

One day, she took me outside. Outside of the small, drab, junk-filled room that was my world for the last 5 months.

She swaddled me in a fraying blanket and I clutched Angela to my chest as she carried me towards the door of the house. My heart rate spiked with anticipation. Finally, I could figure out where I was! I could breathe fresh air, see the sky, green plants - why did mom have the lamp? We wouldn't need that, right?

The door opened to reveal a dark area lit only by the lamp mum was holding. It was night. It had to be night -

I gazed upwards and a memory of a blue sky faded to reveal a rough hewn rock ceiling. That was... strange. Did we live in a cave?

Mom started walking down a rocky path, past people who were scavenging on the side of the road for junk and people who catcalled at my mother which made her quicken her pace. Most of the people here seemed to have a dead look about them - like they weren't really people, just husks. Some of them, however, had a hunger about them that was far more terrifying - those were the ones who called at my mother. All were gaunt and malnourished sporting rugged greasy and dirt covered faces.

Mom stepped off the path then and wormed her way through a maze of junk, only stopping when she got to a small coven hidden away against a far cavern wall. The place was hidden from all but the ones who knew how to find it. She set me down in a small, junk free space she cleared with her bare foot. It was fairly clear to me now that the rocky ceiling would never stop, no matter how far we walked - we lived underground, in a poverty ridden city.

Mom cleared a spot for her too, before sitting down. She smiled softly at me. "I know it's not much, Sora, but I thought I'd share this little private space with you."

I looked back up at her and made one of those indecipherable baby noises that are all my vocal chords are currently good for making and affirmed mother's expected smiling response, before wriggling out of my blankets so I could inspect some of the junk, Angela clutched in my chubby infant fingers. Now, inspecting junk may seem like a strange decision, but I was seriously curious about where I'd ended up - who wouldn't be, in my situation? So, I cautiously pawed through nearby junk (much to my mother's amusement), looking for anything that could tell me where I was - an old newspaper, maybe? Something, anything at all... My hand touched a brown piece of fabric that was softer than what I was used to in my new life, and I tugged at it curiously. My mother, too, was curious - "Oh, Sora, what have you found?" she asked as she made her way over to me, leaning over me and pulling the scrap of fabric free of the junk.

The brown piece of fabric had a symbol stitched onto it - a shield emblazoned with white and blue wings. My infant eyes widened as my mother praised me for my discovery - I _knew_ that symbol. (_titans, recon corps, titans, underground, titans_) - I knew that symbol (_recon corps, TITANS_) - I was in -the underground... of a world dominated by titans?

My heart dropped in shock and horror, and tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. My mother noticed immediately and drew me into a hug, but that wouldn't stop the tears from flowing - I knew where I was, and it wasn't good.

This new life had been promising to me, hopeful even despite the poor living conditions. Upon this horrifying revelation however, that hope diminished quickly into nothing but despair.

**XxxXxx**

I'm one year old today.

Mom quit her job as a prostitute a few months ago, explaining it to Erina as "Not wanting my daughter in that kind of environment." The manager of the brothel wasn't pleased, and kept banging on the door day after day to try and get my mother to come back - there was a lot of shouting, and I watched it all in silence. She's got a job as a waitress at a nearby tavern, and started taking me to her work. She made Angela a new dress out of that rag I found, and now that I'm eating solids she tries her hardest to get food that isn't rotten or mouldy. We have no choice but to boil and drink sewer water.

And I'm still struggling to accept the fact that I'm now alive in a world that was widely accepted to be fictional in my past life - well, past world.

I'm sitting on a bench in the kitchen of the bar my mother works at, watching the single chef throw together grimy plates of food while being shouted at by the manager, who ignores me as long as I stay out of the way. Angela's on my lap and my mother's working out front - I can see her through the doorway between the kitchen and the bar, a hole in the wall with a translucent rag draped over it.

I focus on the person my mother's serving - is that Erina? I hadn't seen her much since my mother quit the brothel, she looks terrible; covered in bruises and cuts with a face plastered with worry. She kept making the same gestures, pointing to the door of the tavern frantically. I darted through the kitchen and snuck closer to the door so I could hear better - this caught my interest.

"-He's coming here! You need to take Sora and leave, or he'll-"

"Brat, why are you in the way?" The stern voice jerked my attention away from my mother and Erina, and I looked up to see the cold glare of the manager staring down at me.

"Sorry." I said meekly, clutching Angela to my chest as I turned to go back to my seat. Instead, I hid behind a wooden crate that served as a kitchen bench, and snuck past the manager when his back was turned - a weird, half waddling infant-sneak. I crept through the doorway, where I hid under the counter. Mum didn't notice me - she was far too busy.

"I'm not just going to pack up all my things and leave! Sora and I have a life there - we're happy! And I finally got this job, and -"

"But, if you don't leave he'll come for you! Think of what would happen to Sora if that happened!"

It sounded like they were talking about the brothel manager - what was his name? Jerome, or something along those lines. I didn't like the way they were talking. It sounded like Jerome was a threat to my mother.

Suddenly, the door to the bar burst open and a whole posse of feet stamped through the now-silent bar. I peeked up from under the bar and saw a whole group of those scary people filled with hunger rather than emptiness - and caught a glimpse of Erina's face, which was pale and terrified. I'd seen enough movies to know where this was going. The feet stopped in front of my mother.

"Rosie! So good to see you again!" The speaker was dressed in lavish rags, and had shoes with less than three holes.

"Jerome." Was my mother's cold and uncaring response. "Why are you here?"

"Business just ain't the same without you, darlin'," Jerome said, before turning to Erina. "Speakin' of, why are you here? Shouldn't you be back at work?" Jerome raised a hand at her, and Erina flinched and quickly bolted for the door like a frightened rabbit.

Jerome sighed, looking after her before turning back to my mother. "She was always a disobedient one. Now, Rosie. I've come to offer you a deal. I got some clients that are real sad about you leavin'"

"I'm not interested," was my mother's immediate response as she tried to walk around him.. "I'm happy here. And, I have a kid to think about - Sora. That business is no place for her."

Jerome sighed as he threw out his arm halting her movements. Mom flinched backwards as her eyes narrowed into a glare. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Rosie. You were always my favourite. But, you'll come around."

"Is this man bothering you, Rosie?" A new voice - the manager's.

"No. He was just leaving," my mother replied, to which Jerome laughed and began walking with his posse of followers to the door of the bar they had just kicked in.

"We'll be seein' you soon, Rosie, real soon." The echo of his laughter continued long after he had left and the bar had returned to it's normal raucous state. My mother let out a breath she'd been holding and relaxed, assuring the manager that everything was fine before looking down at my perfect, impenetrable hiding place.

"Come out Sora.." she said softly as her calloused hands rested on her hips.

I froze in horror. How did she...? No matter, this was the time for a solid and quick defense. "Angela made me come watch! She wanted to see what the commotion was." I explained quickly.

Mum crouched down, looking straight at me. "Sora, we both know that isn't true. Now, I know it must be hard for you to understand what's going on, but please when I tell you to stay put somewhere I mean it."

Amazing. Nothing gets past her. I could do naught but pout in response. "I don't like that man. He's scary."

At this, my mother smiled - a worried, happy smile. "I know but he won't hurt you, I promise you he won't. I won't let him. Now, how about we go see if there's any scraps in the kitchen left as a special birthday treat?"

**XxxXxx**

I haven't seen Jerome since that day.

I've been keeping a close watch on all the customers that my mother serves over the past year, and while I've seen a few of his lackeys loitering in the background on the odd occasion, the man himself has remained out of the picture.

For my second birthday, my mother gave me a very special treat - an old, dented hand mirror with a cracked glass. It was the first time I'd ever really got to look at my reflection in this world - normally, there isn't enough light to get a clear enough image - besides which, there really weren't that many reflective surfaces in the underground anyways.

She said she'd found it in our secret place, the little hidden junk cove where I'd found the recon corps insignia - just waiting there, destined to be found by her. I knew that to be a lie. She'd traded her portion of a week's worth of food for the mirror and had pretended she just wasn't hungry when I questioned her about why she wasn't eating.

It might be broken, but it was pretty - ornate scrolls and flowers decorated the edge and back of the mirror, covered in black spots and grime. I could tell my mother had tried to clean it by the streaks of pure silver shining through the dull grey, but it didn't seem like she'd had much success. I turned the mirror over in my hands - the glass was broken, some small shards missing, but the surface was clean enough to see my own reflection - which I'll be honest, was a bit of a shock.

Ragged brown hair framed an unfamiliar pair of crystal blue eyes set in an unfamiliar infant face. My reflection reached up to touch my cheek - was this really my face? _Yes_, answered the several pairs of blue eyes staring back at me from the broken shards of the mirror. _Yes it is._ Some part of my mind wanted to refuse - to go back to accepting what I'd looked like in my past life as a norm. To disregard my brown locks for the wavy red ones I use to have and instead of blue eyes to imagine they were a deep hazel color.

But no matter how hard I tried to internally argue with myself the truth was staring at me in that fractured mirror.

My mother leaned down beside me, her reflections appearing in the broken shards of the mirror next to mine. "Yes, that's us. Aren't we pretty?" she cooed, playing with my hair. My mother's face was gaunt from not having eaten anything for the past week, and it hit me just how much I didn't look like her - her blond hair, mine brown, her green eyes, mine blue. I wonder what my father looks like?

An interesting question but difficult to answer considering my mother's previous profession.

"Thank you mama." I smiled as I set the mirror down. Turning to her I threw my arms around her neck holding her tightly to me causing her to laugh as she hugged me just as tightly.

"You're welcome, my darling! Happy birthday." she cooed into my ear before releasing me to go play.

I played dress-ups with Angela using the mirror as a prop for the rest of the afternoon. I was becoming quite good at creating new dresses for Angela out of unconventional materials. My mother watched happily as she sat in a nearby chair but soon she joined in, helping make Angela some new dresses out of the junk lying around our hut. Angela paraded them gloriously in front of the broken mirror, a princess in a broken castle unsure of which dress to pick for the royal ball later that evening.

We played dress up and pretend for a very long time laughing and making voices for the characters we created. Despite my aged mind doing something like this was rather fun and reminded me of my old mother. Often we would be doing something like this when I was younger, playing pretend and laughing gleefully as we ran around the house. Eventually my father would come home from work and we would rope him into our games. One time I managed to make him dress up as Cinderella, mom laughed so hard at the sight of him that she peed herself. After that my father told her she wasn't allowed to come to the ball.

Thinking of old memories made me sad but at the same time I knew these memories of them were living on through the actions of my current mother and I. That was good enough for me.

As evening crept closer, or what was perceived as evening time(It was rather hard to tell living underground) mom left me to my own devices so she could make dinner. She chirped happily to me that she managed to procure some fresh fruit for desert while I made the hall for the royal ball out of my old crib. I perked up at hearing that, fruit was something I haven't had in such a long time. And as I opened my mouth to inquire what kind a knock suddenly sounded on the door.

It was a very rhythmic and loud knock, in a tune I recognised from my past life. My mother froze her face draining of all color as green eyes widened in downright terror.

A voice, slightly muffled by the thin wooden door but still chillingly familiar, called out to my mother.

"Hello, Rosie! Let's have some fun!"

**XxxXxx**

**Alex:I know you must hate me for leaving it on a cliffhanger! Chapter two will be out in a couple days so be patient my lovelies. Originally I was going to combine chapter one and two together but chapter one was eight pages so I decided to leave it as is. But also who doesn't like a cliffhanger? **

**I hope you all enjoyed it and please leave me your thoughts and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alex:Now before anyone starts reading I want to place a few warnings on this chapter. Foul language and child abuse are somewhat heavy in this chapter! **

**XxxXxx**

**Chapter 2:Requiem **

Jerome. Jerome was at the door and Jerome had come for my mother.

Shaking her head slightly my mother pulled herself out of her frightened stupor. Standing up from where she was kneeling by our small pantry she walked tall to the middle of the room, staring at the door with her arms crossed defiantly - I, on the other hand, had become paralysed with fear at the sound of Jerome's maniacal laughter.

What was going to happen? Surely, Jerome would just talk to my mother and be on his way again...right?…...RIGHT!?

"What do you want?" my mother asked as calmly as she could, the sound easily passing through the thin door. Standing up slowly I walked to stand behind my mother,my body trembled slightly as my small hands clenched the hem of her dirty dress. Mom touched the top of my head and smoothed my hair back from my face in reassurance. Her eyes never once left the door.

"The same thing I've always wanted, Rosie! You need to come back to us. The business just ain't the same without my favourite." Jerome began laughing that horrid, chilling laugh again.

"I've already told you, I'm not going back. Now please, leave." My mother's voice was calm and steady unwilling to back down without a fight. She was firm on her decision to leave the brothel and never return, everything she did was for me. Despite the fear I felt I couldn't help but smile at that, a mother's love knows no bounds.

"Mama!" I whispered urgently as the door shook as Jerome banged on the door once more. The old wood creaked against the rusty hinges making me wince at the sound. This was bad!

Mom turned away briefly from the door as she smiled reassuringly at me. Her green eyes were soft and loving as she gently stroked my cheek. "Will be alright, my darling."

Hearing those words calmed me down if only slightly. I could feel my rapid heartbeat slowing down from it's panic as my mother promised me that everything would be fine. Somewhere in my head a soft voice whispered that everything would not be fine.

"Well, that's too bad, Rosie," came Jerome's response as he ceased his insistent banging on our door.

"You see, I have some of your previous clients here with me today -" at this my mother blanched, and my fear came back in full force "- and they agree with me on somethin' rather important."

There was the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the door swiftly followed by a kick that broke the flimsy door off its hinges - the door fell to the ground with a thump and a crash that was as loud as my pounding heartbeat and a foot clad in shoes with less than three holes stepped through the dark square that was our doorway and slammed itself down on top of the broken door.

Jerome, a tall, muscular man with pale skin and light brown hair and a lavishly ragged coat draped over his shoulders, leered at my mother as he waltzed into our home."You don't just get to leave the business, Rosie," he said as two of his lackeys - mum's previous clients - stepped through the door behind him.

I looked up at my mother's face, and adrenaline fueled by fear started pumping through me when I saw that she was absolutely terrified - I wanted to run and hide, but I wanted to stop these men from harming my mother - but I didn't do anything because while she looked scared, she also looked determined. Mom glanced down at me then, a determined fire in her green eyes, and I remembered her words from when Jerome had come to see her in the bar: "He won't hurt you. I won't let him."

I gulped, and since I was a two year old infant I decided to trust her on that. Then, I noticed the knives they were all holding and forgot how to breathe properly as panic built up in my throat - I clutched my mother's leg. Jerome noticed the small movement and crouched down to get a better look at me - sneering as he spoke.

"This is the brat who took my favourite away from me, huh?" The bitterness in his voice instinctively made me recoil behind the protective cover of my mother's ragged dress, but Jerome's intense stare still penetrated me through the holes in her dress. "Should have just beaten the bitch out of you when I had the chance," he muttered as he stood back up. Running a hand through his greasy hair Jerome pulled a pack of cigarettes out from within his jacket along with a match. Striking the match he lit his cigarette and took a long drag of it before puffing the smoke out into the stale air.

"Yes, this is Sora," my mother said, trying to stay calm. "And she has nothing to do with any of this. Sora, why don't you go outside and play?."

I looked up at my mother, too scared to leave, but she fixed me with a stern glare that meant I had to do what she said, so I ran around the edge of the room, heading for the now open doorway, only to have the rough hand of one of Jerome's henchmen pick me up by the back of my shirt - the fabric tightened around my neck, and I could barely breathe... Jerome was laughing again. "Sora has everything to do with this, Rosie!" he proclaimed as his lackey tossed me to the other of the room far away from the open entryway.

I gasped wheezing for breath as my small body slammed down hard into the ground I could hear my mother shouting in protest and alarm. Shuffling to sit up on my knees I turned just in time to see the other henchman quickly restrain my mother as she attempted to move towards me, twisting her arms behind her back. She grimaced at the pain, but she was pretty used to pain from living in the underground.

"Jerome," mom pleaded, her eyes kept firmly on me, "Please. Do whatever you wish to me, but don't harm my daughter!"

I shook my head at her words as my eyes widened as Jerome began walking towards me. Like a predator stalking their prey he advanced on me and all I could do was stumble backwards on my butt and shuffle till my back hit the dirt streaked wall of our home. His dark brown eyes glinted in sick glee as he stared down at my trembling form. My body was locked…..petrified with fear as he advanced closer and closer.

Laughing Jerome backhanded me across my face before I could process anything else. Colors and black spots swam across my eyes. My body slumped sideways as I felt something wet trickle down the side of my mouth and out my nose. A heavy iron smell assaulted my senses as I slowly processed I was bleeding. In the background I could hear my mother screaming my name, the sounds of her struggling in the men's grasp reached my ears as I turned to stare at the commotion.

Thrashing with all her might she fought desperately to get out of her captives arms and to me. Tears streamed down her pale face as her gaze focused on me and me only.

"Jerome stop this, please!" she begged sobbing loudly.

"I have every reason to hate her, you know," Jerome said, his head turned towards my mother. His cigarette was held delicately between his index and middle finger. Lifting myself up slowly from the ground I stood on shaky legs as I tried to blink the black spots out of my vision.

Snapping out his hand Jerome grabbed my left wrist in a vice like grip and pulled me towards him. A cry of pain escaped my lips as his hand constricted even tighter. He flashed my mother a sadistic smile before turning to face me.

"This - little - bitch," - with every word, Jerome drove the end of his burning cigarette into my arm making me scream in pain with every word he uttered.- "is the entire fucking REASON you left me!"

At this point I was crying as I watched Jerome leave a small circular trail up the pale flesh of my left arm. Through my tears, I could see my skin turning a nasty red color as the smell of my burning flesh made me gag.

As he dug the rest of his cigerette into my arm, twisting and turning it into my flesh- adrenaline kicked into overdrive and I did something incredibly stupid on impulse. I bit into the hand Jerome was using to hold my arm with all the force I could, and broke skin - his blood streaming down my mouth as my arm and face seared in pain and panic ran rampant throughout my system. Jerome screamed in rage at the same time as one of the men holding my mother yelped in pain - she slammed her foot down on his with all his might. Turning her head she copied me and bit the other man holding her hard enough to draw blood. He cried out in pain as he shoved her away.

Stumbling my mother screamed as she charged Jerome. Jumping onto his back she used her right arm to cover Jerome's eyes as the other wrapped around his neck. Letting go of Jerome my mother tugged him away from me.

"Run Sora!" she screamed as I stumbled back onto shaky legs praying to any god that I knew that I wouldn't be knocked down again. My eyes were widened in horror as I froze once more, Jerome was screaming as loud as my mother was.

"Get this cunt off me!" he ordered as he slammed my mother against the wall. Despite the force of the blow she didn't release her hold on him. Her fire filled green eyes locked onto my own and I knew I had to obey her command. "Run as fast as you can!"

Without even a thought I darted across the room and out the open entryway. All the while I could hear Jerome screaming to his lackeys to go get me. Hearing thundering footsteps behind me caused me to push myself to run even faster.

I darted down the street and turned quickly to the left ducking into a nearby alleyway. Several people milled about here but no one paid attention to me as I darted past them. That was the way in Underground, unless you were directly involved in the situation, no one batted an eye to the chaos happening around them. A bloody, bruised kid being chased was just a daily occurence.

I could hear the shouts of the men behind me as I turned down another street. I didn't know where I was going, all I knew was that I needed to get away like mom said. To run as fast as my chubby legs could carry me.

My breath came out in deep pants as my heart thudded in my chest to the point I thought it would pop right out of my body. Everything ached as I kept turning down random streets, gritting my teeth I tried to ignore the pain my bare feet felt as sharp stones and other objects in the streets impaled my flesh. Taking a chance I looked back and knew immediately it was a mistake, the men were gaining on me quickly, soon they would be within arms reach. Turning back around I clenched my fists tightly, there had to be somewhere I could hide or at the very least slip into where they couldn't.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind some deity of some kind must have heard it because far ahead up the street and to the left I saw another alleyway. This time however a large metal gate covered the entrance but near the bottom there was a hole. A fully grown adult couldn't possibly fit in there but I could.

Pushing myself as hard I could I forced my body to run faster towards my destination. The footsteps behind me grew closer with each step, I could practically feel the body heat of the men behind me.

"Got you now bitch!" one of the men shouted. Glancing back I let out a scream as one of the men reached for me. Turning my head away I was near the gate by this point, throwing my body forward I crawled quickly under that hole and to the other side where freedom awaits. Gasping for breath I shakily looked back as both men slammed into the gate in an attempt to break it down like they did my front door. Only this time it wouldn't break, the gate was much more sturdier than an old piece of rotting wood.

The men were red faced and angry as all manner of profanity escaped out of their mouths.

"I'm going to gut you like a pig for this!" one hissed angrily. All I could do in that moment was let out a small cheeky smile of victory as I stuck my tongue out at him. The man growled and lunged for the gate only to be stopped by his friend.

"Will go around and get her." he whispered to him. Nodding in agreement the man who I had pissed off pointed at me as a smile curled his scarred lips.

"Better run little pig."

And with that the two were gone disappearing from my line of vision. The glee at my victory faded and the fear returned. Clambering to my feet I took off down the alleyway, maybe if I was fast I would miss them?

Jumping over several broken bottles and a corpse lying in the middle of the road I darted around the corner and successfully slammed into something. Being knocked back I hit the ground and let out a loud groan. That was some brick wall I hit I thought as I rubbed my forehead, I could already feel a headache coming on.

Looking up at the brick wall I hit a gasp escaped my lips. I didn't hit a wall at all, I ran smack dab into someone. The person or rather boy I ran into looked to be in his late teens or early twenties as I observed him. He regarded me with a bored expression as his steely grey eyes gazed down into my blue ones. His black hair was styled neatly into an undercut and from everything I've witnessed in the Underground he was the cleanest person/thing I've seen. My mind reeled backwards as the name of this person slammed into my head.

Levi fucking Ackerman.

Before either of us could say a word a harsh voice shouted at me.

"Got you now little pig!"

With a yelp I whirled around to see Jerome's lackeys appear in the street Levi and I occupied. Red faced and panting for breath they smiled gleefully as they brandished their knives that they were holding. Without even thinking I jumped to my feet and hid behind Levi, reaching out I grasped his pant leg tightly as my body trembled and I tried to reclaim oxygen. All that running did little to help and I doubt I could outrun them again.

"Give us the girl midget!" one man shouted. Bad choice of words I thought as Levi turned his face away from mine to the men that were advancing forward. They really didn't know who this man was.

"Give her to us if you know what's good for you."

"Tch, disgusting." Levi commented making the men confused. Glancing at each other the men shrugged before deciding they had enough. The two thugs rushed Levi at the same time, brandishing their knives - but, Levi deftly danced around their attacks and slit both their throats in a manner of seconds. I blinked several times in shock, when had Levi moved? Looking down at my hands that were once holding onto Levi my gaze slowly drifted to the man in question.

Standing in between both fallen men who were bleeding profusely and lying lifeless on the ground Levi stood cleaning his blade with a simple handkerchief.

I was amazed at how fast he could move but reminded myself that besides his strength Levi was also known for his speed. He wasn't called humanity's strongest soldier for nothing.

Taking soft steps I walked over to Levi, edging around the dead men carefully I once again reached out and grabbed the raven's pant leg halting his cleaning. Grey eyes stared once again into my blue ones.

"T-Thank you." I mumbled quietly.

"Go home brat." Levi simply said as he began walking away and moving out of my grasp.

_Home, mom, Jerome._

Eyes widening I leapt forward without thinking and wrapped both my arms around his leg. "Please! My mom's in trouble! Help us!" I cried loudly as I squeezed Levi's leg with all my might. Eyes squeezed firmly shut I held onto my only hope. "A man named Jerome was trying to force my mother to work at the brothel again, she refused and he hurt us!"

A calloused hand wound down and firmly but gently pried my arms off Levi's leg. Opening my eyes I sent a pleading look to him.

Several seconds went by as we stared at one another.

"Lead the way brat." he simply stated making a big sigh of relief escape me. Shooting Levi a smile I grabbed his hand briefly and began tugging him along the way I had just came. He didn't seem to like that much as he snatched his hand away from mind. Pouting I didn't say anything and instead focused on retracing my steps.

I pretty much forced myself to run all the way home. Levi didn't seem to mind or tell me to stop as he successfully kept up with people we passed along the way moved aside at the sight of Levi and some even hid. Any other time I would have been impressed but currently all I cared about was my mother.

Once my house was in view the lethargic fatigue I had been feeling vanished completely as I sprinted to the entryway.

"Mom!" I cried as I ran inside.

Jerome stood in the middle of the room panting heavily as a blood soaked blade was clasped tightly in his right hand. My mother laid before him pale and wheezing on the ground, the front of her dress was soaked with her blood.

Upon hearing my voice both Jerome and my mother turned to look at me. My mother's gaze was nothing but filled with love and sorrow while a look of vicious hate embedded in Jerome's.

I was dazed and confused.

Why was this happening to us? Why was her dress stained red? Why had I been born into this life? Why? Why? Why!?

I could do nothing but watch in shock as the color slowly drained from my mother's face. I couldn't move, couldn't scream; I couldn't even call out to my mother.

"You see?" he said, waving his bleeding hand in front of mom's face. "You see why I hate the brat? First, she takes you away from me, and now she drives me to kill you!" He stood and turned back to face me, a terrifying look of anger and disappointment painted across his once again began making his way towards me. My mother began crying and trying to make her way over to me as well.

"It's all your fault, you little bitch." He shoved his bleeding hand in my face, the deep bite marks I had left allowing me a small amount of satisfaction. "If you hadn't bitten me, my favorite wouldn't have to die! How do you plan on paying me back for this? Huh?" He raised his knife, and I was dimly aware that soon, I was probably going to die again.

The knife swung down towards my chest, and slipped from Jerome's grasp, Jerome's hand hovering above my chest, frozen, as he made a noise like a strangled cat. Body still in shock, I was having trouble working out why I was not dead - then I noticed the hand on Jerome's right shoulder, the knife tip poking through his stomach and the face of Levi speaking softly into Jerome's ear: "Only filth pick on the innocent."

Levi stood behind me as he glared at Jerome. Using his foot he nudged me to the side and out of his way as Jerome reeled backwards crying out in pain. Levi pulled his blade free from the man's stomach.

"You bastard!" he cried trying to swing at Levi but he stepped back quickly out of Jerome's reach, and Jerome collapsed to the ground, next to my mother.

Jerome glared at Levi while I quickly shook out of my shocked state to crawl quickly, to my mother; who was growing deathly pale as blood oozed from the large wound in her stomach. Shock locked my body up again and I could barely help my mother to try and stop the bleeding.

Jerome struggled to his feet, his knife back in his hands and he tried to charge towards Levi - but tripped over my mother's foot. Levi rained kicks down upon Jerome, making sure he wouldn't be getting up for a while and made sure to kick the knife away from his hands.

The look in Jerome's eyes was fear, the kind of fear you see in the eyes of men who never think they're going to die. "What are you?" he sputtered as Levi picked him up by his hair.

"What's this, a corpse talking?" Levi responded before slitting Jerome's throat.

Everything was silent apart from the now rapid breathing of my mother. I couldn't find a way to speak to my mother. All I could do was try and prevent more of her blood from spilling out, as Levi cleaned his knife methodically. If only the bleeding could slow down or stop there could still be a chance for her I thought as I tried to apply as much pressure as I could to the wound. But there was so much blood and despite my efforts it continued to ooze creating an even bigger pool of blood then before.

"Thank you," my mother sputtered to Levi, reaching out a blood covered hand to him. Levi stopped his cleaning and knelt next to my mother, taking her hand - she clenched it tightly, getting blood all over his hand. "I know this is a lot to ask, and I don't even know you - but, please... Could you take care of Sora so she won't be alone?"

Levi nodded. "She'll be safe with me." My mother looked relieved. I didn't like the sound of this. It sounded like mom would be leaving. Why would she be leaving? This damn bleeding just had to stop and then we could get her to one of the few legit doctors down here!

Then, she turned back to me, breathing rate increased. "I'm sorry, Sora. This is my fault - I should have gotten out of prostitution sooner."

A lump was forming in my throat that finally broke the barrier preventing me from speaking. "M-mama?" Why was she apologising? It's almost like she was trying to say goodbye.

"Please give him a chance, okay?" she asked me, worry in her eyes.

"Mama, are you going somewhere? Panic was starting to build in me now.

Mom's face was pasty and white. The blood that was pooled around her body was already starting to congeal. She could barely talk, her breathing was so fast. "Sora, I love you very much, and I will always love you and watch over you." She smiled. "I'm going to become a part of the sky now. We'll always be together." Mom's grip on Levi's hand was weakening and the light in her beautiful green eyes was fading, but she still had a smile on her face. "I love you, my sky."

Her hand slipped from Levi's grasp and her pupils dilated as her body took in a few last ragged breaths, chest convulsing and rising, before becoming still. The smile was gone, replaced with a grotesque expression caused by slack jaw muscles, her eyes wide and unblinking. "M-mama?" I cradled my mother's face, the lump growing larger as I felt her skin lose its warmth. "Ma...wake up" Frantically, I shook her shoulders - her head lolled about absurdly. No... This couldn't be happening. No, no, no. It's impossible. She can't be dead. She can't leave me. She - she...

She may not be my only mother, but she's the only one I have left.

And now, the only mother I had left is dead.

The lump in my throat turned into tears as I finally accepted the truth - why couldn't I have accepted it earlier? I was familiar with the symptoms of death, after all... stupid, stupid - tears poured down my cheeks and pooled with the blood around my mother's body, great sobs that shook my entire frame that just didn't seem to have an end. Tears choked up my throat and soaked my mother's dress as I threw myself on her chest and cried. Levi let me cry for a few minutes as he finished cleaning his knife. Finally, I was able to shakily move my hands to my mother's face and close her eyes, my tears having run out. Levi walked back over to me, lifting my chin to look at my face, turning it inquisitively he began wiping away the blood and tear streaks that stained my face. Taking a look at my arm he bandaged it up temporarily with an extra cloth he had making me wince in pain.

Once he was done he sourced a ragged blanket from the bed, gently wrapping my mother in the blanket he placed her on the bed.

I noticed Angela on the floor where I left her. Pulling her up I hugged her one last time before tucking her in the sheet wrapping my mother. "Now you'll never be alone," I choked, placing a final goodbye kiss on my mother's wrapped forehead before turning back to Levi, who was standing by the doorway.

"Time to go," he said.

I nodded and began following after him before I noticed something glinting in the low light of the room. Looking down I noticed it was my mirror, the present my mother had given me today. Plucking it up quickly from the floor I clasped it tightly to my chest, the last memento of my mother.

Not being particularly careful about stepping over the corpse of Jerome I made my way to Levi who waited patiently for me. Impulsively I reached up to grab his hand as we left the house. His hand went rigid, but he didn't pull away. I was grateful for that. I needed someone else's presence to remind me that this was reality.

I looked back one last time, and through the doorway to what had been my home, I could see that the white sheet had already become stained with blood. I squeezed Levi's hand tighter.

**XxxXxx**

**Alex:Such a sad dark chapter I know! And it's only going to get worse as the story goes on because this is Attack on Titan. Don't worry there will be peaceful happy moments. Anywho I hope you enjoyed it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alex:A bit of a heads up but there is graphic detail in this chapter of gore and death so you've been warned! Besides that I hope you all enjoy the chapter:)**

**XxxXxx**

**Chapter 3:Life since that day(part 1)**

True to his word, Levi took care of me and never abandoned my poor pitiful being.

After my mother died, life was hard. Every little thing that went bump in the night made me recall my trauma. It was hard for me to forget the soft gargles of my mother's last breath, and every little crack and groan of my surroundings sent shivers down my spine... What if Jerome wasn't really dead? What if some of his cronies decided to come after me? What if that tapping noise I could hear in the distance was Jerome, tapping his knife slowly against a rock as he came after me? No, they were dead. I knew they were going to die as soon as Levi turned up... I wanted them to hurt... I wanted them to die. Yet, death didn't seem enough for them. I had prayed to any God I could remember from my old life that they burned in hell.

I hoped they faced eternal punishment for what they took away from me. I wished that Satan himself toyed with them as they screamed in agony. Hell, I went far enough to pray to the damn walls that they got tortured brutally in the afterlife.

I was aware of the religious wall people from above as some of them came to Underground to preach the gospel of our 'savior'. It was a tad annoying if you ask me - then again, I didn't really care - I was underground, no titans were getting me anytime soon. I just hope above all that Jerome didn't get the luxury of reincarnation like I did... Well, ending up in Shingeki no Kyojin was far from a luxury but it was a second chance. A second chance Jerome didn't deserve and believe me I was a firm believer in second chances. After all, I received one of my very own. Though I had to wonder... Who did I piss off in my past life to end up here?

Pain was a constant emotion after mom moved on. It was always there and I hated that feeling of having it carved deep into my heart. A deep ache in my chest that never went away no matter how much I rubbed it. An ache mixed in with longing, longing for my mother's warmth and gentle smile as her green eyes lit up at the sight of me. It was something I knew I would never get back again, but it was something that was hard to accept. Underground was a cruel and hard place and the trauma it left behind would remain perhaps for eternity.

Everything made me jumpy; from some men talking down the street to a simple cat jumping off a ledge into a trash heap to scrounge for food. I was a frightened mess and the only person who took that fear away was the very man who saved me.

Levi Ackerman.

To say I clung to Levi... would be an understatement. Hell, I was practically an extension of his very being. I... I needed to feel safe. I might have the mind of a teenager, but that mind was cramped inside of a two-year old body. Levi was safe... definitely safe... without a doubt, safe.

Somehow, I don't think Levi was genuinely annoyed by my presence (no matter how much he acted like he was)...

Sure, our relationship in the beginning was sorta... awkward. I mean, the man just got the responsibility of raising a toddler and the first thing I did when we reached his home was to throw up all the contents in my stomach in the kitchen. The reality hit me full force at what I had witnessed, at what had happened. I tried so hard to tell myself that this was nothing more but a bad dream, that I would wake up soon. That everything would be alright and that mom wasn't dead. But the more I tried to tell myself the more that small wistful feeling of hope diminished. And once it was completely gone and I took notice of the dry blood staining my hands, my mother's blood, did my stomach twist terribly. Bile burned the back of my throat and without thinking I tugged my hand out of Levi's grasp, turned to the right and hurled. Tears made a steady river canal down my face my body trembling and shaking from the force of my gags.

When nothing else remained in my stomach and I was reduced to dry heaving for several minutes I unsteadily stood back up.

"S-Sorry for the mess, I can clean it up. You look like a clean person who doesn't like messes." I mumbled quietly as Levi squatted down to my level. Face ever stoic and calm he took out yet another white cloth and wiped my face clean again.

"I'll clean, brat. You go sit." he simply said nodding his head to the nearby couch. Walking in silence I obeyed as I trudged forward.

Climbing up onto the springy cushions I watched Levi clean up my mess, tired and weary from what had happened, I had only wanted to sleep - and the thing about sleep was it made me forget if only for a little while. I wanted to be stuck in an endless oblivion with no thoughts swirling in my head; no thoughts turning into dreams or nightmares. It would be a pleasant feeling till reality returned. Suddenly that's when fresh tears came for what felt like the millionth time and I could do nothing to hold them back. So, pulling my knees to my chest I hugged myself tightly as choked sobs escaped me and my vision blurred with seemingly never ending tears. I could barely breathe; all my crying clogged my nose as I tried to figure out what was going to happen now.

Yes, I understood Levi saved me and promised my mother he would care for me... But, this was Levi fricken Ackerman.

...He didn't seem like the raising kids type. Not to mention he was a big time thug in Underground! Like no one fucked with him! And if they did they either ended up horribly injured or dead! What part of that screams child rearing!?

Through my tears, I could barely make out a lithe tall figure standing in front of me with their arms crossed over their chest.

"Take a breath, brat," a stern voice ordered... Though I detected a hint of boredom within the voice.

As I processed the fact that Levi was standing in front of me, guilt washed over me. I must have made him annoyed him with my endless crying. First I make a mess then I continued to cry and be loud, yeah I was making amazing first impressions. Attempting to organise my thoughts and get my bearings. I tried desperately to take a breath of air as instructed of me. But actually trying was the hard part. My body didn't want to respond to the command given to me and in the end it only caused me to gasp for air in shorter and shorter breaths until I was hyperventilating. Feeling a firm hand tilting my chin up, my blue eyes met upon steely grey as Levi stared at me with a calm, bored expression.

"Take a breath, brat," he repeated again. "Having you pass out won't do any good." His eyes never left mine. My gasping for air like a fish out of water had started to die down as I focused on his eyes. Inhaling deeply, I breathed in as much air as I could and slowly released it in a shaky breath which seemed to appease Levi, judging by his nod of approval. Once I had calmed down enough, Levi let my chin go and took a step back.

"What's going to happen now?" I asked my voice hoarse from all my crying. Levi cocked his head slightly and stared down at me with a blank expression.

"The fuck you mean?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. Sucking in a deep breath, I closed my eyes for a brief second to form the question I wanted to ask. Once I had it, I opened my eyes and stared up at Levi.

"I mean what's going to happen to me?" I questioned. "Mama's gone…..I have no home…..and…...and…"

I took another deep shaky breath to calm myself lest I throw myself into hyperventilating again or worse make myself sick once more.

Levi was silent for a few seconds before he clicked his tongue in irritation.

"What's going to happen is you're taking a bath because you're filthy. After that I'm going to clean and dress your wounds and your ass is going to bed because you look like your about to tip over the moment someone breathes on you," he replied, which succeeded in confusing me. Levi was going to allow me to stay with him?

My confusion must have been painted across my face because Levi rolled his eyes before kneeling down to my height.

"You're not going anywhere, brat. Do you understand?" he asked, grey eyes meeting blue once more.

All I could do was stare as my brain chugged through what I was being told. I was staying with Levi. I wouldn't be alone. As the pieces clicked into my head, I slowly nodded and flashed Levi a small smile. Levi returned the nod and then proceeded to drag my sore body to the bathroom to give me a serious scrubbing.

Life from then on made my mother's murder easier. Yes, I still had my bouts of depression but I had Levi by my side and that was all that really mattered. I wasn't alone. I knew I was protected no matter what and that in itself was just fine. The days and weeks following my mother's passing were hard and I was a skittish mess of nerves, but somehow Levi didn't mind. I stuck by Levi's side like glue and went wherever he went that I was allowed to follow. He stopped me from following him on jobs, though. On the days Levi left for a job, he put me into the care of this elderly women he knew. Her name was Miss. Evers; a kind gentle woman with short graying hair and dark brown eyes that reminded me of chocolate. Levi met her in a similar manner to how he met me: he saved her from some thugs who were adamant about stealing from her. Miss. Evers, however, refused to go down so easily - walking stick swinging, she caused quite the number of bruises that day but the thugs had the advantage in number.

Levi hearing the commotion, walked over and demolished the thugs before they even knew what hit them. Miss. Evers couldn't thank him enough and promised to help him with anything he needed. So, naturally he took her up on that offer when I came into his life. Now whenever he has to leave to do a job he drops me off at Miss. Evers' house. At first I was unsure about being with her because at the time I was still pretty scared of going outside. Wasn't there still the possibility that Jerome and his lackeys weren't dead? Wouldn't they want revenge? Even with Levi reassuring me they were dead, a part of me was too afraid to believe it.

Miss. Evers however reassured me that I would be fine; she said if anyone tried to hurt me she would personally beat them to a pulp with her walking stick. Knowing that put me at ease... If only slightly.

So as Levi went off and did work, Miss. Evers and I would sit on her ratty couch and she would tell me stories about fairy tales long forgotten. Cruel, cursed princes that could only be set free by true love, a young maiden forced to live with her malicious step sisters and mother, stories of a beautiful girl falling into eternal slumber from eating a poisoned apple, a dark story about severed wives' heads hidden away in a room that's never supposed to be opened. Hearing these old stories from my old childhood delighted me to no end. It was interesting to know that those stories were also in this universe as well though I was very sad that I could no longer sit down and watch them being played out before me.

The way Miss. Evers told the stories was always entertaining. It consisted of a series of hand gestures and shadow puppets which I found pretty cool. A smile would always adorn her face and I couldn't help but wonder how she was able to smile so freely. We lived underground, we drank sewer water, ate rotten food, lived in constant filth, there was crime everywhere and yet she would always smile. When I asked her one day why she always smiled and she simply replied with this:

"The best way to beat the darkness was with a smile."

Only slightly understanding what she meant, I nodded my head and listened to her continue whatever story she told me.

When Levi would return at the end of the day to retrieve me, the outcome would either go two ways. I'd be passed out asleep in Miss. Evers' withered arm chair, forcing Levi to carry me home - or, I'd be wide awake. As we headed back home, I'd tell Levi the story Miss. Evers had told me that day. Levi would give commentary throughout the whole thing.

"Shitty sisters."

"Why the fuck would she take food from a stranger? Sora, you better not do that. You don't have shit for brains like this Snow White."

"What the fuck kind of story is that? He killed his wives - Sora, what else is she filling your head with?"

"The fuck you mean I'd be the singing crab, brat?

"Sebastian would fit you perfectly!"

"Shut up."

The walks home were always fun; Levi never failed to make me laugh. During those moments, I think I realized what Miss. Evers told me. Light was the only thing that could combat the darkness - and in the world I lived in, what better way was there to do that than smile brightly? After all, I'm fairly certain neither my mother nor Levi would want me to let the darkness win.

As the days went by, the Underground didn't seem as scary anymore. I became less skittish and frightened. Time began to pass more quickly - except for the time around Mrs. Evers' death - which, while it was sad and upsetting, I didn't let it stop me from smiling. It's what she would have wanted me to do.

Before I knew it, a whole year had gone by since my mother's... passing. I was now three years old. My birthday was a sensitive day, as my mother... Well, it was the last time I saw her. The day was made better by Levi. Most things were made better by Levi.

On this particular birthday, the day had passed by with no major hiccups or obstructions. Levi surprised me by taking me somewhere special. Sitting on the kitchen chair I kicked my legs back and forth as I watched Levi strap on the 3DMG. Seeing it in person was quite interesting but also seemed very complex as I watched Levi strap on all the belts.

Why would he need his gear if he was taking me somewhere? He only ever strapped it on when he had a job and as far as I knew he didn't have one lined up today.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously as he tightened the belt around his waist.

"You'll see, brat." he merely stated making me pout.

Once Levi checked the gas canisters and made sure everything else was working in proper order. He defelty picked me up and situated me to where he was holding me easily with his left arm.

"Hey, what are you doing!?" I exclaimed loudly albeit a little panicked. Was he crazy!?

"Relax. I'm not going to drop you." he explained as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Was he seriously going to use the gear and take to the heavens all while holding me!?

I soon got my answer once Levi exited our home.

With a running leap we took to the air as he launched one of the grappling hooks at one of the neighboring buildings. The gas canister let out a shriek as Levi propelled us upwards, anchor coming undone I clasped my eyes shut as I held tighter onto Levi. The feeling of being tossed into the air and suddenly freefalling for a fraction of a second was unsettling. Through it all Levi's grip never faltered once as my eyes slowly cracked open to take in the world around me.

The first tiny glimpse I saw between my lashes had me gasping in awe as my eyes widened. The city glowed with candlelight and torches giving off an almost peaceful look below. Buildings of many sizes flew past us as Levi launched use down the many streets and high into the air. My eyes turned every which way as I took in all the sights. Below us our fellow residents of Underground stared up in awe and shock at the sight of Levi and I. The fact that one of their own could take to the heavens was an amazing feat indeed.

Feeling brave I released one of my arms from Levi's neck and sent a small wave down to a group of children who watched our movements as we passed by.

Smile curling my lips I watched as Levi shot a grappling hook at one of the rock formations on the ceiling. Twisting his body I quickly latched onto him again as he veered to the left and away from the city, heading further and deeper into the underground caverns. The soft glow of the candlelight began to grow dimmer and dimmer the deeper we went.

Seriously where was Levi taking me?

Casting him a curious look he briefly looked at me but didn't say anything as he focused on maneuvering around the many rock formations and crags that blocked our path. It was a little harrowing if you asked me.

The journey didn't take too long and before I knew it Levi landed easily on the ground at the entrance of some kind of cave. Setting me gently down my body shook from the adrenaline from the ride. Smoothing my windswept hair down I looked around curiously. Nothing but rocks and dirt could be seen for miles but this opening we had come to seemed to lead further down. And further down I saw a glimmer of some kind of light.

Taking my hand Levi led me inside and what awaited me had me stop in my tracks.

We had come to a small cavern but instead of a familiar rock ceiling that I was used to seeing, it opened up and you could see nothing but the blue of the sky. Warm sunlight streamed down into this hellish world and all I could do was wonder if this was legit.

Letting go of Levi's hand I ran forward my eyes ever focused on that blue sky above. I could see the traces of clouds in that beautiful sky and hear the distant sounds of birds chirping somewhere up above. Reaching up my hands I tried to touch the sun's few rays but got no where, grumbling under my breath I tried jumping off small boulders but again got nowhere. Come on I just want to feel the sun's warmth at least once I thought as I recalled many times in my old life lazing about in the sun.

But I also recalled times where I shied away from it in favor of sleeping in complete darkness. Going even as far as to purchase black out curtains I desperately wanted a few more hours of sleep. How foolish I was back then.

Resigning myself in defeat I was about to plop down on the ground and simply stare upwards as long as I could when I felt strong arms wrapping around me once more. Hoisting me up Levi plopped me down on to his shoulders making me gawk at him. He didn't say anything as he kept his attention upwards, smiling I looked up as well and stretched my arms out once more.

Seeing the light dance across my fingertips a soft warmth overtook my palms making me shriek gleefully. It felt amazing to feel the sun's warmth, it was like a blanket being encased over you on a chilly autumn afternoon. Quite frankly this was the best birthday gift ever!

Smiling widely at the clear blue sky a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Hi Mama."

**XxxXxx**

It was late. The adventure to the place where the sun shone was fun but exhausting. Now here I was curled up in bed, contentedly snuggled under the sheets and teetering on the brink of sleep. My eyes were heavy, my mind was fuzzy and floated around to random places - suddenly hearing a scraping noise against the window had me jolting awake. It sounded like something sharp dragging along the windowsill. Eyes wide open, senses kicking into overdrive, muscles tingling with adrenaline I listened intently. I didn't realize it, but I was holding my breath - the only sound in the room was that of my racing heart. Silence... and then more silence. I remembered to breathe again, letting out the breath I'd been holding. The scraping noise sounded at the window again just as I started to lay back down, so I jumped out of bed and hauled ass to the living room. I saw the faint glow of candlelight which told me Levi was still up.

Sitting in a chair with his legs crossed, Levi was reading a book, a cup of tea next to him on the kitchen table. My bare feet padded across the hardwood floor at the speed of light. It was Jerome, wasn't it? That was his knife I heard scraping against my 'd come back to kill me on the day of my mother's death.

Levi only had time to glance up before I crashed into him, climbing up on his lap. I admit I did kinda knock his book out of his hands.

"Big brother, Jerome's trying to kill me again!" I screamed. Terror laced my voice and I clung to Levi, the only safe thing I knew. I then realized what I'd called Levi. Immediately, I bit my lip - _Shit, I didn't mean to call him that... It just came out._

I mean sure I did see him as like an older brother figure but I never planned on actually calling him that!

Levi sighed as he placed a reassuring hand on my head. I was shaking. I couldn't help it, but I tried to hide it by burying my head in Levi's chest.

"We've been over this before, Sora. Jerome's dead," Levi stated as his hand began massaging my scalp in a soothing manner, before continuing to speak. "And even if for some unknown reason beyond all shitty logic he wasn't, I wouldn't let him touch a hair on your head."

I frowned as I peeked up at him. "There was a scraping noise by my window, though," I argued. I wanted to believe Levi, but I couldn't deny the noise had sounded suspiciously like a knife being dragged along stone.

Levi gathered me up in his arms and stood. "Let's go hear this noise," he said.

I merely nodded as he walked to my room setting me on the ground once inside and sauntering towards the window. I stood by him, clutching at the oversized shirt I wore that used to be his. Nervously, I bit my lip, unconsciously rocking back and forth on my heels as Levi reached my window. Levi cast his usual blank expression my way before turning towards the shutters, just as the scraping noise happened again.

Levi immediately yanked the shutters open. Something black shot into the room - and, I couldn't help it - I screamed, closing my eyes and hiding my face, hoping that neither me nor Levi got hurt.

For the next few minutes, all I got was silence. Then, Levi finally uttered my name - slowly, and another few minutes later, I finally managed to uncover my face, looking into the eyes of... of a cat?

Levi held a cat by the scruff of its neck, staring down at me with a raised eyebrow. Blinking in shock, I stared wide eyed at the fluffy creature before me. It meowed and purred happily as Levi walked back to the window to set it free. Once that was done, he closed the shutters and turned back to me with his arms crossed over his chest. I didn't know how to respond so I merely stayed quiet.

"Alright, back to bed brat," Levi said, inclining his head towards my bed. Nodding my response, I clambered back in and curled up in the sheets once more. Levi walked over and flicked my nose which elicited a small yelp from me. Rubbing my sore nose I shot Levi an irritated look to which he responded with a smirk before turning his back.

"You know I'd never let my little sister get hurt, so stop disturbing me because of cats and go to sleep," he said sternly. Did I detect a hint of tenderness mixed in his voice? A big smile crept it's way across my face as I cuddled into my pillow. I was safe and my big brother wouldn't let anything happen to me.

After that, thoughts of Jerome never haunted me again, he was gone and I was still here. I kept smiling and kept up the belief that good things would come out of this darkness. And lo and behold it did in the form of a man around Levi's age with sandy blonde hair and pale blue eyes - Farlan Church.

I met Farlan shortly after my third birthday - since Mrs. Evers' passing, Levi had been leaving me home when he went out to work - on the condition that I didn't mess with his stuff or go outside on my own. That was easy enough to do - I had no desire to find myself more trouble like what I'd experienced on my second birthday, and Levi always made sure I was preoccupied with something before he leaves. Usually, this entailed practicing the alphabet among other school related things. I found it all incredibly boring, I already had the knowledge but of course Levi didn't know that.

I had finished my school work when he returned home one night. I was sitting with my head slumped on the kitchen table as I eyed the cracked grandfather clock resting gently against the wall by the couch. Lazily my eyes followed the movements of the pendulum as it swung slowly back and forth when I heard the front door open. Sitting up straight, I smiled as I heard the heavy fall of Levi's footsteps. The sudden boredom I had been feeling dispersed. My eyes zeroed in on Levi as soon as he entered the room and I quickly attached myself to him like a leech. My small hands clutched at his pant leg as I used my legs to try and shimmy up. Without wasting any time Levi scooped me up into his arms with an irritated click of his tongue.

This was how it always was. Levi would leave for a job and I would stay home and occupy myself. When he returned at the end of the day I immediately clung to him, wanting to be held. I might have had the mind of a teenager, but what teenager isn't childish?

"Welcome home!" I shouted, a bright smile on my face. Levi's expression, as always, was blank and emotionless as he stared at me.

"Brat, did you make a mess?" he questioned, causing me to pout. Some greeting!

"No... If I did, you'd make me clean it a bazillion times," I exclaimed my pout still evident. "I finished my work!" I said proudly.

"I'll look over it in a minute." Levi stated simply. I opened my mouth to say something else when I noticed something in the corner of my eye. Turning my head, I saw an unfamiliar man around Levi's age leaning against the wall by the front door, a white sack slung over his back. He was tall, taller than Levi from what I could tell and he was giving me the weirdest look ever - like I was some kind of alien with two heads and giant fangs threatening to pierce his skin and kill him. Realizing this new guy wasn't going to talk anytime soon, I volunteered as a tribute to startup conversation.

"Hi, I'm Sora, who are you?" I asked curiously. The man blinked, startled, but he pulled out of his trance and stopped staring at me with a weird expression. Which was good because I was starting to become uncomfortable.

"Farlan Church. Nice to meet you." he replied with a soft smile. Once I smiled back, Farlan turned to Levi with a look of confusion and curiosity.

"I didn't know you had a daughter." Farlan exclaimed, the look of bewilderment never leaving his face.

I snorted quietly in laughter at that assumption.

"This is my bratty sister." Levi replied, while dumping me on the sofa. I let out a slight squeak as he did so, but then glared at Levi for the comment.

"I'm not a brat!" I defended. I stood up on the couch with my arms crossed over my chest as I stared down my big brother.

"You're a shitty fucking brat." Levi retorted as he poked my forehead. I whined as I quickly clutched at my forehead in slight pain, I really hated when he did that.

Farlan stared at us with a look of amusement. Levi rolled his eyes before explaining how Farlan was going to be living with us from then on. Farlan would be helping Levi with his work, which made me feel relieved. I knew Levi was humanity's strongest and all that other fun stuff, but even humanity's strongest needed someone to watch his back... I took comfort in the fact that Farlan would do so, since I couldn't. But I had to wonder how the two even met? Levi wasn't really the making friends type.

"How'd you guys meet?" I asked looking at them both. At my question Farlan fidgeted and even looked embarrassed. Had he done something?

"None of your business." Levi stated as he flicked my forehead again. Pouting I sent Levi a glare. Maybe if I was lucky I would get the full story one day. Turning to Farlan I smiled at him.

"I'll show Farlan around!" I shouted excitedly, jumping up and down on the couch. Levi shot me an irritated look for that, but I paid it no mind, bouncing off the couch and onto the floor. Reaching up, I grabbed Farlan's hand and tugged him down the hall, giving him the grand tour of our humble abode. He let out a laugh and let me drag him all over the house. Levi, in the meantime, pulled out his knife and began excessively cleaning the blade ...again.

I showed Farlan the whole house, which was far bigger than my old one. I showed him my room, pointed out Levi's (which was down the hall from mine), told him where the bathroom was in case he needed to use it, showed him the spare room which would be his room, and lastly told him to make sure he kept everything neat and tidy around here.

Farlan seemed confused by that, even though I tried my best to explain how Levi needed things to be clean. Eventually I gave up on the subject. Farlan had said everything already was clean - well, he was in for a rude awakening later.

Once I showed him around I left Farlan to unpack and went skipping on back into the living room/kitchen. At least I'd tried to warn Farlan about my brother's tendencies - how he needed things to be clean and sterile all the time. There have been many times I had to clean the same spot for an hour because Levi saw some imaginary dirt. It was irritating, tedious, and I wasn't allowed to complain. If I did, Levi would make me clean more... Which was exactly what I didn't want. Though, I did understand where the cleaning obsession was coming from.

Underground is always in a state of filth: from the air to the ground, from the water to the very bed you slept in. There was nothing but filth and garbage around you, no matter where you went. The garbage coming from the world above. The people who lived on the surface, in Wall Sina, just dumped their trash on us as if we were the very thing they were throwing away. When I lived with mom, there was dirt all over me. Dirt and grime covered the inside of our home. Mom did her very best to keep everything clean and orderly, and that included me as well. But even though she tried, there was a never ending supply of dirt and it always managed to find it's way on us or our stuff. Often bugs were included in the dirt.

The constant state of filth we lived in explained my big brother's cleaning obsession perfectly. Poor Farlan would soon find out just how much of a clean freak Levi really was - God help his soul.

"Here's my work!" I exclaimed happily, showing Levi the scrap paper covered in my graphite scrawls. Levi paused in his cleaning duties and glanced at my paper.

"Not bad. Good to know your not stupid." Levi commented after several minutes of reading.

Smiling gleefully I climbed up to sit next to Levi. It was hard to believe someone else joined our small family but it was exciting all the same.

**XxxXxx**

A few months later, my family grew even more - when we met Isabel Magnolia. Levi found Isabel living among the trash, on the brink of starvation. Not wanting her to die, he brought her home. It was quite a shock at first, but I offered to help as much as I could. I gave up my bed so Isabel could rest until she got back up on her feet again. I told Levi I would sleep on the couch, but he wasn't having it. He gave me his bed and he took the couch.

It didn't take long for Isabel to recover. Soon enough, she was back on her feet, a cheerful smile adorning her face. Her red hair was long, tied back in pigtails, and her green eyes lit up in a fiery determination that reminded me of my mother. Levi didn't really care if she stayed... So long as she didn't make a mess. Isabel began calling Levi big brother too. He didn't mind, but he'd complain about how troublesome it was looking after two little sisters. Regardless of what he said, I could easily tell he cared about us a lot. If you looked closely, you can see the look of happiness or gentleness flash through his eyes. You have to be quick and watchful to catch it, but it was there.

Isabel began calling me her little sister as our bond grew. That thrilled me to no end. Not only did I have an older brother, I now had an older sister!

The wounds caused by my mother's death were healing. I was truly grateful. It seemed whoever had said that all wounds heal with time was right. I had a family... I wouldn't be left alone. That was something I cherished deeply. We were an odd family, but a family nonetheless and I would take that any day over being alone forever.

I considered myself to be rather lucky. I was surrounded by so much light in my life... But the darkness remained, ever constant and probing in the background, waiting for a chance to drag me back inside it... back to times like my mother's death. Whenever I went outside with Levi, I saw the darkness hiding in the background. People, starving and malnourished just like Isabel was; children, adults and elderly alike in their appearance: pale waxy skin, gaunt faces and frames so skinny that nearly every bone was sticking out. Their eyes are sunken, illuminated only by shadows revealing nothing but a blank stare as they wait for death to take them. Other darkness came in the forms of vile, malicious men and women who gathered in groups to smoke and drink, hunger lighting their eyes. I had to stop myself from gagging whenever we walked past such a group - the sour smell of the alcohol on their breath mixed with the scent of tobacco to form a toxic scent that burned my nose and throat if I breathed it in. Thugs of the Underground that make money through illegal activities such as human trafficking and whoremongering. Buildings old and nearly falling apart litter the whole city just as rats and creepy crawlies do. Starved, deprived, and sometimes abused animals wander around scavenging for food. Sometimes, children are also scavenging with the animals - children whose parents have abandoned them, leaving them to rot under the rock ceiling.

It wasn't all that shocking to stumble across a dead body. There were many times I'd be walking with Levi or Farlan through the market or down a street, when I'd notice a slumped over mass on the ground. An unmoving mass covered in the buzzing of flies, a mass that reeked sickly-sweet with rot, a putrid scent that filled the air and made my eyes water. White maggots weaved in and out of the flesh, feasting on a grand meal.

Death was a recurring phenomenon in Underground.

Sometimes the dead I saw in the streets didn't die of starvation or illness. Sometimes they died of lacerations to the neck or torso or some other place on their body, that red liquid pooling in gelatinous clumps around their body. Sometimes they died of blunt force trauma; their skull caved in, bruises often covering their bodies. Whenever we stumbled across murdered corpses, whoever I was with would redirect my attention to other things. They would try and occupy my little mind with maybe a pop quiz of whatever Levi was teaching me, or ask what I'd want for dinner that night or breakfast the next morning, try and make me laugh do whatever. They were shielding me from the horrors of our world... of our life.

I commended my family for trying to shield me from the horrors of our life but by this point I had become desensitized. Seeing death was a normalcy here, it was a harsh reality none of us could escape.

Whenever we managed to get out of this shit hole death would continue to follow us. Only this time it would be in a much different way.

With all that being said when I was four years of age Levi taught me all sorts of survival skills and a spattering of self defense techniques. The training was tough - I'd practice my situational awareness with Isabel, Levi and Farlan in a sort of simulation. I'd be walking down a dark alley, nothing but a candle in hand to light my way. The other three would hide in shadows and try to capture me. I had to spot them before they did so and make an escape.

It was harder than it sounds. Cats startled me and random things distracted me. More than once, one of my three stalkers used my blind spot to sneak up and grab me. I had yet to make a successful escape, but I had gotten better at spotting them before they held me up in front of their faces.

Every day there was always a new survival skill to be learned and every day Levi made sure I knew each and every skill he knew.

This routine went on for a whole year.

Five year old me now knew how to have a constant situational awareness, so if someone tried to jump me again, I'd at least see it coming. Five year old me knew a handful of basic disarms, the most effective way to successfully run from someone, and had plenty of dodging experience thanks to Levi not exactly being gentle. Five year old me knew the correct way to hold a knife and successfully wield it. I knew the vital points to strike in case I got grabbed, it was unsettling to learn this particular skill.

After all in my old life this wasn't really an essential. I lived a perfectly normal life, one that didn't involve me hurting others but that was then and this is now. The past was the past and while it was nice to dive into memories of old I knew I had no place to stay there for long. It was best to focus on the present, on the now and that's what I did.

When Levi was satisfied enough with my ability to hold my own, he let me help him out on small jobs - I worked my big, blue eyes, batting them at the target to distract them, feigning curiosity about their lives and dishing out the praise: "Wow, mister, you're so smart!" was one that worked well on merchants; "Really? That's amazing! I've never met anyone so brave!" worked brilliantly on the arrogant Military Police. What I said made me cringe, but helping out my big brother and deceiving bigoted morons was actually quite fun and enjoyable. Even when it all went to the dogs and I had to gap it, I still had a lot of fun.

Something vital for making a successful escape is knowledge of the lay of the land - something Levi hammered into my brain, day after day, forcing me to clean when I got things wrong. I had to know which streets led to what, where the dead ends were, where I could cut through a building or over a roof. Useful stuff for getting away from the Military Police and angry merchants.

Each and every lesson I took to heart. No matter what you keep finding something to fight for in this world.

And as I sat at the kitchen table one evening as we ate dinner I watched as Isabel and Farlan argued. A typical, funny, routine, for them as Levi sat quietly next to me sipping his tea ignoring them as usual until they made a mess.

I knew the horrid fate that awaited Isabel and Farlan in the future and I'd be damned if I was going to let that happen.

"No matter what I'll change it." I muttered quietly to myself.

"Oi, what'd you say brat?" Levi asked turning to glance at me. Smiling I took a bite of my bread as I shook my head.

"It's a secret." I replied while pressing my finger to my lips.

Levi stared at me for several seconds unblinking. "Your a weird kid."

"You've been saying that since you took me in." I exclaimed with a roll of my eyes. Reaching out Levi flicked my nose.

"Because it's the truth."

Huffing I ignored him as I turned to my food. No matter what happens I'll fight for my family, come what may we would all survive in the future.

I would make sure of it.

**XxxXxx**

**Alex:Bit of a longer chapter then the last two but I hope you all enjoyed it. I remember in the original of this story chapter three was 32 pages and when I saw that I was like I'm breaking this chapter into two parts. Good decision on my part instead of condensing everything together.**

**Let me know what you think and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alex:I'm so happy everyone is enjoying the story so far! A few of you have even expressed concern for when Erwin comes in. I was honestly a little surprised but I am happy you're liking Sora.**

**BEFORE YOU READ!**

**There is a part in the story where there is a graphic description of death as well as implied rape so you have been warned.**

**XxxXxx**

**Chapter 4:Life since that day(Part 2)**

**Two years later**

"Stop thief!"

"Someone call the Military Police!"

"Little cunt get back here!"

Running as fast as I could, I clasped my prize tightly to my chest. Glancing behind me as I fled the scene of my crime I saw the merchant I had stolen from not far behind me. Eyes forward I kicked my legs into overdrive and tore down the nearest alleyway, leaping over sleeping bodies, piles of trash and busted crates. I didn't dare stop to catch my breath - I didn't need to. I'd run away from Levi so many times now that I could run the entire length of the city before getting tired. I veered sharply left, into another side street.

Bastard doesn't know when to give up, I thought as I jumped over a crumbling wall to aid my escape. As I did so from the corner of my eye I saw the merchant still ever keeping up with me. His sharp angry looking eyes following my every movement.

This cat and mouse game went on for several minutes and I had to give it to the dude for being able to keep up with me. Not many were known to do so except Levi. However, due to a miscalculation on my part I ran into a dead end. The street I had run down ended abruptly in a railing that cordoned off a lengthy drop to the ground below, shabby concrete housing boxing me in on either side. A cat chilled in a pile of nearby trash. I cursed under my breath.

"End of the line rat!" the merchant shouted gleefully. No doubt the idea of pounding me into the ground laid heavily on his mind.

My eyes roved everywhere trying to find a way out of this mess but there didn't seem to be one. The drop to the ground below was too steep and would shatter my legs if I attempted such a dangerous stunt. I was fucking screwed….or was I?

As the merchant grew closer and closer I bounced from foot to foot antsy and on the verge of panicking when I heard it. A low hissing sound of gas being released. Turning swiftly on my heel I shot a cheeky smile at the merchant. And just as his hand snapped out to grab me I swiftly vaulted over the railing. There was a feeling of weightlessness for a few seconds before gravity began tugging me down to the awaiting ground below.

Impact never came as something slammed into me. Strong arms wrapped securely around me making me smile as I looked upon my savior.

"Thanks big brother!" I chirped as Levi shot me an irritated look.

"I leave you alone for five minutes and this is what happens." he growled softly making me laugh. I was about to say something else when something caught my attention behind us.

"Uh-oh MP's!" I shouted pointing. Clicking his tongue in annoyance Levi released more gas from the canisters and sped quickly away. No one matched Levi when it came to speed I thought happily as I watched as the two Military Police soldiers struggling to keep up. Their movements with the gear were clunky and crude, unlike the grace and elegance Levi, Farlan and Isabel showed when they used the gear; I knew that Military Police hardly used their gear in the above world.

It didn't take Levi long to lose them.

Once safe and sound Levi took us all the way home. Landing on the ground he dropped me from his arms making me yelp as I landed harshly on the ground with a loud thud. Did he have to be so rude?

"Warn me before you do that." I grumbled as I brushed the dirt off me.

"What did you take?" he questioned. His arms were crossed over his chest as he leveled me with one of his famous glares.

"Whatever do you mean dear brother?" I questioned innocently.

"Don't be a shit."

Laughing I pulled my prize away from my chest as I held up a deer skinned pouch filled to the brim with coins. "All his profits for today! I figured we could add it to our savings for the stairway toll or our citizenship up top."

A deep sigh escaped Levi as his eyes softened slightly. "Leave the breadwinning to me, brat."

"Oh, don't be so hard on her shortie!" a voice rang out as an arm was slung around my shoulder.

Glancing up, I saw a familiar older girl shooting Levi a smile. Clad in boy's trousers, a black dress shirt, and a white vest, her long dark brown hair hung in a braid down her back. Hazel eyes glimmered with mirth as she regarded Levi.

Levi's eye twitched in annoyance.

"Merryweather don't call him that! You know he doesn't like it." I scolded as Merry waved her hand.

"He'll get over it now let's hang out." she said as she began tugging me away. Taking the pouch from my hands she tossed it to Levi who caught it easily.

"Home in an hour." he ordered. Nodding my head I followed my friend down the street as we made our way down to our usual spot.

Merryweather Adams was quite a character with questionable morality but despite all that she was my best friend. I met her six months ago when the Military Police was chasing her down over some stolen bread. Having decided to help her out I followed the pursuit. Managing to catch up via a few sidestreets I took a route I knew that would position me in front of Merry. Beckoning her over her eyes locked on to my own, distrust flashing through her features. Understandable; in the Underground, help always came with a price. However, My price was the humiliation the Military Police would feel when we escaped from them.

It took a bit of coaxing on my end but she followed my lead as I swiftly grabbed her wrist. Both of us hauled ass and away from the MP's. It was a chase for the record books that was for sure as we led a long ass game of cat and mouse that ended with us hiding in a stack of garbage after I threw a cat at one of the soldiers. Thus causing him to run into his buddy.

I guess you could say it was the start of a wonderful friendship.

Ever since then we've been thick as thieves ...literally. Every day since then, Merry and I hung out. Needless to say, we managed to get in a lot of trouble with the fun we had. You know, the usual - messing with merchants and mocking the Military Police that claimed to be "keeping crime at an all time low". It was no secret that the Military Police were always reluctant to come down here but since the higher ups gave the order they had no choice.

The fact they claim to keep the crime rate at an all time low was laughable and debtable.

All time low, my ass - they barely made a dent, if anything at all. They were a bunch of lazy, cocky bastards who did nothing but abuse the public. Too many times did I see them beating up some old man or picking on a woman and her child. It made sick to my stomach. Messing with them was the only real revenge I could exact upon them. Merry and I had a grand old time, but we always made sure to be careful. Once, we stole some of their food supplies - that got us into a huge amount of trouble. We were running for our lives and ducked inside a nearby building for cover, accidentally stumbling in on an illegal human trafficking business - which was actually lucky for us, since we managed to escape in the chaos that ensued when the Military Police rushed in after us.

Besides all the mischief we caused, we did have moments where we simply relaxed and hung out at home. Merry mostly came over to my house, but that was fine with us. Merry, on several occasions, came and spent the night with me. She had to take a bath first before Levi let her touch anything in the house. That led to an amusing argument in which Merry called Levi a midget, no hint of fear in her voice - ironic coming from her, considering she was short for her age. Isabel fell out of her chair, she was laughing so hard. Farlan was suppressing a grin. I came to big brother's rescue. Playing on my age, I acted confused, saying: "But, big brother is tall," in the most childlike, cutest voice I could muster. I faintly heard Farlan in the background telling Isabel and Merry not to ruin this for him.

Once the bath was out of the way, Merry and I would run to my room. I'd show her all the books Levi and I had read through the years and help her read and write. Sometimes, we'd mess with Levi. That was more Merry's idea; I just got dragged along for the ride. Which was probably good, since it meant someone was there to stop Levi from killing my friend.

One incident involved us hiding behind the couch. Merry had the broom and I had one of the dusters. We waited quietly and kept hidden, waiting for our prey to sit on the couch. When he did so, Merry's face grew a cheeky smile. Holding the handle of the broom, she casually rubbed Levi's face with the broom's bristles, talking in a high pitched voice.

"It's Levi, the biggest thug in Underground! I hope he notices me and returns my affection and love!" Merry cried, still rubbing the broom against his face. At this point, I was dying of laughter I desperately tried to keep silent. Covering my mouth did little to help as I practically wheezed for breath. Merry nodded her head, the signal for me to join in; I tickled Levi's face with the feather duster as Merry continued in her high falsetto: "Notice us, Mr. Levi! Use us to clean. Make us dirty."

As we died of laughter, Levi remained unmoving, seemingly frozen to his seat. He was probably contemplating the many ways to kill us... More specifically, Merry. The most I would get was cleaning duties for a month. Sensing tension rising in the air, I made the duster jerk backwards in a startled fashion before making it run away in fear. Merry made a snarky comment on the relation between Levi's height and dick size, and Levi just about jumped over the sofa, murder in his eyes - although I'm pretty sure he only wanted to kill her to protect my precious seven-year old ears from such a disgusting innuendo. Not that he needed too - in my past life, I remembered having unlimited access to a vast, uncensored information network. I hadn't been an innocent little mind virgin in a long time, but explaining that to Levi would be... Awkward.

Dinner was always a riot because it almost always ended with Levi and Merry arguing. Seeing a twenty-seven year old man argue with a twelve year old girl was hysterical; Isabel was left in tears, Farlan was trying to suppress his laughter with food and choking, and I ended up in the crossfire. At bedtime, Isabel would take the couch so Merry and I could have a proper sleepover where no older siblings were allowed. We'd stay up late and talk the night away, often interrupted by Levi, who would come barging in to tell us to shut the fuck up and sleep. Merry would retort with the finger and I would innocently tell Levi I loved him.

The more I hung out with Merry, the more I learned about her. She was twelve and was one hell of a tomboy. Never afraid to get dirty, she hated dresses with a passion and had a mouth worse than Levi's. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration - no one had a worse mouth than him, but Merry could certainly give him a run for his money.

Merry lived alone in a small house not too far from mine. Her parents, as sad as this sounded, had sold her. They sold her when she was five to a couple of people in the human trafficking business. She didn't escape until she was eight. She'd seen a lot of shit. I thought she was brave, being able to laugh and joke all the time despite what had happened. Stealing was the only way she could get by, but she managed just fine. Any money she got, she was saving up to pay the toll just like my family was.

"That was a brilliant steal today!" Merry praised pulling me out of my reminiscing. "I saw the entire thing. Running into that merchant and pretending to be hurt is so classic."

"If you saw the whole thing why didn't you help with my escape?" I asked glaring. There was no real heat behind my words or stare as I eyed my friend.

"I knew you had it. Besides Captain Cleanfreak came to your rescue like I knew he would." she retorted. Humming softly the two of us made our way to our usual place, which was just a giant trash pile. Clambering up it we sat at the very top of the pile on an old weathered couch we found in one of the many surrounding piles. Lugging it all the way to the top of the highest pile we could find we would often sit and gaze down at the city.

"One day, I'm getting out of here, Sora," Merry told me once we sat down. Below us, the city glowed faintly with candlelight, the sour, putrid smell of the Underground permeating our nostrils. "I'm gonna go see the world above and see what is has to offer. I'm gonna eat better food, sleep under the stars, and stay out in the sun all day," she continued, a determined glint in her eyes.

"Of course," I smiled, brushing the hair from my eyes.

I was trying to be optimistic but saving up enough money for the toll proved a harder and harder feat each day that passed. It wouldn't be so bad if not for two things: money was hard to come by down here, and the nobleman that owned the stairway to the surface kept raising the prices. Those two factors made getting out nearly impossible - and the trip might not even be worth it. If you didn't have a citizenship above ground, it wouldn't be long before you were thrown back down with the trash from Wall Sina. My family was lucky enough to make a good paycheck but then again being thugs did have its perks.

"And you'll come with me," she said, turning to face me. Her dark locks framed the smile etching itself across her face. "We'll explore and cause trouble together! Eat food that isn't rotting away, even go swim in a river. I heard those exist above. We'll swim in that river that has clean water," Merry explained passionately. I couldn't help but grin - that future sounded so perfect and fun, full of light.

The thought of swimming made me uneasy but I clapped my hands excitedly for Merry's benefit.

"What about my family?" I asked, a frown marring my smile. Merry laughed and bonked me on the head. It was how she showed affection.

"They'll come with us! We can all explore together... Ha, we can even make clean freak carry our stuff," she said with a laugh. I laughed as well because there was no way in hell Levi would do that. knowing him, he'd call us little shits and say fuck that as he dropped our stuff on the ground.

"Like hell he would do that." I laughed. Merry shrugged her shoulders.

"A girl can dream," she said, eyes staring wistfully at the cavern ceiling.

It was far from quiet even up here, on this pile of trash above the city. Shouts, dogs barks and cries echoed up from the city below, loud and boisterous sounds mixed with agonised mewling. Pretty typical day.

With a sigh, Merry put her arms behind her head.

"One day, we'll get out of this hell," she said. I simply nodded my head in agreement. One day, hopefully we would. I took a lot of things for granted in my old life; the touch of the sun upon my skin, the caress of a cool breeze - experiences I now sorely missed. Sure I feel the sun on my skin when Levi takes me to that hidden cavern. But just barely.

"Yeah one day." I whispered as I rested my arms on my knees. Whenever Erwin Smith comes into the picture was the day we would be free.

**XxxXxx**

Life continued on as it always did. Merry made it her life's ambition to annoy Levi. One of her many ideas involved us swiping and hiding his cleaning products. I wouldn't do that again; both Mary and I were landed with a week of chores, and she didn't even live here.

Another time, Merry and I tripped and fell into a mud puddle while running from an angry pedestrian that accidentally got covered with the filth we'd intended for the Military Police. In our defense, he stepped straight into it - not that he listened to our defense. We'd had to hightail it outta there. We escaped (barely), but came covered in what I hoped was mud, but judging by the smell might have actually been something else. Showing up back home was entertaining to say the least, the look on Levi's face was priceless. I received several harsh scrubbings for my troubles.

One day, I decided to get Merry a little something for her birthday. It wouldn't be much, but I wanted to give her something nonetheless.

I had tagged along to the market with Levi; he'd gone out to buy more food. I hadn't seen Merry in a couple days, but I didn't worry. She knew how to take care of herself. I stayed close to Levi as we meandered through the different stalls, trying to find food that wasn't mouldy or rotten. My eyes roved the many different items in the stalls, landing on a pristine snow globe. The merchant selling it was from the above world. Sometimes, they'd come down here to sell their wares; some gave good prices, while others were dicks and hiked them.

The snow globe's base was a pretty light blue. A mother horse and her baby stood inside the globe, saddled forms regal as they stood under a silver-leafed tree, looking as though they had wandered away from their riders. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I just knew I needed to get this for Merry. Her birthday was only a few days away. Reaching up my hand, I tugged on Levi's shirt to get his attention.

"Can I buy this?" I asked, pointing to the snow globe. My money was safely stored in a pocket on the inside of my shirt. A big lesson down here is never let your money be out in the open lest it be stolen.

"Why that?" Levi questioned, raising an eyebrow. I gave him a very serious look.

"Because Merry's birthday is coming up soon and I need to get her a gift. Can I please get it, Levi? I can pay for it!" I said, taking my money pouch out of my hidden pocket and holding it up for him to see. Levi considered my request for a moment before agreeing. With a smile, I paid the merchant whatever the price was. The guy selling it was really nice, even cutting the price in half for me. It was rare to find a merchant willing to do that but I didn't complain. With the snow globe firmly in my grasp, I gave it a quick shake. The fake snow danced around the horses. A bright smile adorned my face.

"Look, Levi!" I cried, holding it up for him to see.

"I can see, brat," he said with a nod. I took off running to Merry's house with a squeal as soon as we left the market. Levi told me to slow down, but I didn't listen. I wanted to hurry and surprise her with her gift. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face!

I could just picture it now, a wide grin that reached up to her eyes that lit up happily at the sight. She'd smile and bonk me on the head, just like she always did.

Seeing her home in view, I ran up the two steps and knocked on her door.

"Hey, Merry! It's me!" I shouted.

Nothing but silence greeted me. After a few seconds, I knocked again. Still no answer. I rolled my eyes and smiled; she was probably asleep. Nothing could wake that girl while she slept - she's probably the source of the saying "slept like the dead".

"I'm coming in," I declared, as I pushed the front door open. The damn door was old and stiff - it cracked open slowly, little by little. A sickeningly sweet odour wafted from inside the house as soon as I opened the door, but I paid it no mind. I held the snow globe tighter as excitement washed over me. She was so going to love her present!

"Merry..." I called in a singsong voice. "It's time to wake up, Merry..."

I poked my head playfully around the door, searching for my sleeping friend. Damn, that smell was strong. Had she been scrounging rotten fruit again?

There she was - sprawled awkwardly on her straw mattress at the far end of the room. I swear, that girl can sleep in the strangest of positions. I snuck inside, calling; "Don't make me jump on you again~"

No response from my sleeping friend. I'd have to apply my most effective awakening technique.

I ran over to Merry, fully prepared to body slam her into waking up, but the putrid smell hit me with the force of a tidal wave, forcing me to a stop. My nose stung and my eyes were watering, but I managed to make out the pocket knife sticking from Merry's throat.

Merry was stretched out over her straw mattress, legs bent apart and arms twisted at the wrong angles. Bruises and rot covered nearly every inch of her body, dried, congealed blood staining what was left of her throat and matting her hair, which had been torn out of its usual braid. Her clothes were either ripped or gone, dark purple bruises in the shape of large hands adorning her biceps.

The knife looked to be real steel, sticking proudly out from Merry's spine, which had become visible through her eviscerated throat. Her hazel eyes that once held so much life and mirth were now dilated and dull, staring into nothing. I vaguely remember hearing the sound of something shattering at my feet, my body began to tremble. Terrorized by what lay before me, I could do nothing but stare at my best friend.

Crusty lines of salt marked where tears had streaked down her face, her expression one of petrified horror. This... This couldn't be Merry. Merry was always fearless, no matter what happens - whether we were pissing off merchants and Military police or pissing off my big brother, she was never afraid. This grotesque, contorted _thing_... This wasn't the Merry I knew.

A whimper escaped my throat. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew this thing had once been her. I was confused and scared - what had terrified fearless Merry like that? What could possibly contort her face into such an expression?

Slipping from my hands the snow globe shattered against the dirt covered floor but I barely heard it.

Bile rose up in my throat and a bubbling, acidic sensation expanded in my stomach, but I couldn't look away despite practically gagging on the stench of rot. A warm, firm hand suddenly covering my eyes scared me at first, but a familiar and comforting scent made its way through the fetid rot: the scent of tea and soap. Levi's other hand gently turned me away from the scene, but I had seen too much. The smell of Merry's murdered corpse still stuck in my nose and the look in her eyes stuck in my brain caused me to double over and retch, upheaving all the contents of my stomach and then some. When I had finished, Levi wiped my mouth with a handkerchief before drawing me into his embrace, wordlessly carrying me out of the house as I buried my head in the crook of his neck, tears finally falling from my wide, unblinking eyes.

I barely remember the trip home, but I know I refused to leave Levi for the rest of the night.

**XxxXxx**

What happened to Merry wasn't all that uncommon.

The day after we found her corpse Levi went and gave her a proper burial. As proper a burial you could give someone down here. I only attended after he covered her body up, I knew it would be too hard to look at if he didn't.

Walking hand in hand with me was Isabel and Farlan. Izzy's eyes brimmed with tears as she struggled to keep them at bay. Farlan kept an ever stoic expression but his eyes burned with anger and sorrow. Anger at what happened to Merry, at what happens to so many people down here, sorrow for he couldn't do anything to help her.

We discovered she had been robbed, someone caught wind of the pile of cash she was saving for the toll. That was the conclusion anyway for all her money was gone along with what little food she had. I'm not sure who or how but seeing an opportunity that sick bastard(s) took it and in doing so took my best friend's life.

Robbed, violated, and murdered, a tale as old as time.

Lifting her wrapped body into his arms Levi carried her over to the small grave he dug up. At my request I asked for her to be buried where the sun shone. I knew without a doubt that would be the perfect spot for her to rest peacefully.

Biting my lip I edged myself closer and closer.

"Don't worry little sis, were here." Isabel said reassuringly as Farlan squeezed my hand.

Laying her down gently Levi climbed out of the hole and grabbed the shovel that rested nearby. I watched on in silence as a blanket of dirt covered Merry.

When she was completely covered my hands slipped from Isabel and Farlan's grasp. Taking my bag off my back I reached inside and pulled out the wooden cross I had made the night before. Merryweather's name was engraved on it along with flowers. Stabbing it into the ground I shoved the cross into the dirt and pushed it down as far as it could go.

Taking a set back I admired my work before turning away entirely. Reaching out I grasped Levi's hand as Isabel placed flowers on Merry's grave. How she managed to find fresh flowers I would never know.

"Do you think Merry is at peace big brother?" I asked quietly. A calloused hand rested on top of my head as Levi's fingers massaged my scalp.

"She is."

Smiling softly several tears escaped my eyes and down my face as I turned to stare at the blue-grey of the sky.

"She's with Mama now."

**XxxXxx**

When we got home I curled up on the couch, my head on Levi's lap. Farlan sat on his left while Isabel his right.

"I'm tired of living down here, big brother," I whispered as I buried my head in Levi's chest. Levi ran his fingers through my hair, like he always did when he wanted to comfort me. It was the same horrid thing day in and day out down here.

"I know, brat." he replied.

"We'll get outta here soon, little sis! Just you watch!" Isabel cried happily, a big smile on her face. Farlan smiled as well and looked at me with gentle eyes.

"Isabel's right, Sora. we'll leave here soon," he told me. I smiled at my family as I cuddled close to Levi.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise." Levi whispered in my ear, his warm breath brushing over my skin as I closed my eyes to finally rest.

Erwin needs to hurry up and get here. How much longer till he arrives?

**XxxXxx**

**Alex:Poor Sora! I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter, I had a fun time writing it. Now with that out of the way next chapter Erwin will arrive! So, fear not!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alex:Enjoy the new chapter, my lovelies!**

**XxxXxx**

**Chapter 5:Freedom has a cost**

**-844-**

There it was; my target.

Eyeing my target, I crouched low by the door, my head peeking inside the darkened room as a serious look overcame my features. This was an important mission - I couldn't screw it up. I took a deep breath and crept forward, staying as low to the ground as possible, crawling ever closer as slowly and carefully as I could. Failure was not an option; that was for damn sure. This mission was too important.

The room was dark enough that I could easily use the shadows to my advantage, so I stuck to the edges of the room where the shadows were thickest - but, I misstepped. I snuck straight through a patch of uneven floorboards, a loud creak shooting through the room and making me freeze in my tracks like a frightened rabbit, eyes wide, breath held and heartbeat pumping as I listened. I was met with nothing unusual; no change in the air, no cause for suspicion. Several seconds passed and still there was no noise heading my way, so I silently released my breath. _Man, that was too close_, I thought, biting my lip. I continued on towards the foot of the bed in front of me, slowly peeking over the edge and assessing the situation once I was within reach. No sudden movements - good. If there was a sudden movement, I'd be screwed.

I waited a few more seconds just in case there was a sudden change in my target's behaviour, but there was nothing. It was now or never. I quietly and slowly crawled up onto the end of the bed, making sure I didn't jostle my target or worse - bump into him. I edged ever closer. Finally reaching the middle of the bed, I carefully stood up, a smirk creeping across my features. All of Levi's teachings were about to pay off!

I took a deep breath, bent my knees, and lunged forward.

"WAKE UP LEVI!" I shouted, the entire force of my body weight landing squarely on his back. My reply was a loud grunt simultaneous with the successful landing. A laugh escaped my mouth as I leaned my chin against Levi's head, his black hair sticking up slightly in a mild bed head.

"Come on, wake up!" I cried, nudging his head with mine. I received a flurry of muffled curses from beneath a pillow as a response. I nudged his head a few more times before pushing down on his back with my hands in a seemingly futile attempt to rouse him - I only got more muttered curses for my efforts. Frowning, I got off of Levi and stood over him, placing my hands on my hips. _Come on, lazy bum! It's time to get up 'cause you promised!_

"Big brother, get up!" I shouted, jumping on the bed. The bed's springs protested loudly with each jump, the entire frame rocking. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Come on, Levi! We gotta go!" I exclaimed, continuing my jumping assault. "We gotta go!" An excited smile painted my face. I would not let big brother get out of his promise.

A hand shot out and grabbed the front of the oversized shirt I wore. I barely managed a yelp as I was yanked down into the mattress, my face shoved into a pillow. A rough hand held my head in place, gently tugging my brown locks as I struggled. My cries were completely muffled. Realizing I had to stop my excited tirade, I settled for grumbling sulkily and swatting at Levi's hand until he let me go.

That took a whole five minutes as Levi seemed adamant to keep my face pinned to the pillow. Only when I stopped swatting at his hand did he release me from my prison.

I lifted my head to meet his eyes. He was glaring rather intensely at me, his head propped up on one arm, but that was nothing unusual. I merely smiled innocently at him as if I could do no wrong in the world.

"Brat, why are you waking me up?" Levi growled, his glare remaining stalwart. Most people would have found the glare threatening, but the killing intent washed straight over me. I was used to it. Smiling, I sat up on my knees, excitement bubbling through my whole body.

"Because it's my birthday!" I said happily. Levi continued staring at me for several seconds, his face softening ever so slightly from his murderous glare to his normal blank and bored looking expression. I bounced a little on my knees enthusiastically. Nine years ago today I had been born - or reborn, or whatever - and today, for my ninth birthday, Levi had promised me something important. Something he'd known I'd never get tired of seeing - the sun.

"You woke me up because it's your birthday?" Levi asked, slowly sounding out the words with a raised eyebrow. Sighing, I rolled my eyes at his antics. Does he really gotta be like this?

"Well that, and because you promised to take me to where the sun was." I explained, my eyes wide in excitement.

Thoughts of seeing the clear blue sky and the sun's bright light had me giddy. It had been such a long time since we last visited the cavern.

"Yes, but not at an ungodly hour, shitty brat," Levi scolded, pulling me from my thoughts. How did he even know this was an ungodly hour? It was always dark down here and clocks weren't exactly a normal thing, so everyone just kinda guessed what time of day it was. After living down here for a while, your body sets into a routine of when to go to sleep and when to get up - it becomes instinctive instead of guesswork, if that makes any sense. It's a feeling only those in Underground understand.

"How do you know what time it is? It could be the afternoon for all you know," I pointed out, poking his forehead. He slapped my hand away.

"Don't be a brat," he retorted.

"Too late!" I smiled, jabbing him in the forehead again. Levi rolled his eyes before rolling over, his back now facing towards me. He then rested his head on his arm, firmly shut his eyes and yanked the bedcovers over his head. I'm fairly certain he was trying to send me a message about leaving him alone and letting him return to the peaceful world of dreams (he is such a grump in the morning), but... Well, I didn't listen. Thankfully, I could get away with bothering Levi in the morning - Farlan tried, once. Just to be funny. It didn't end well.

"Come on Levi! Please!" I begged, crawling over him so I could look him in the face. I yanked the blanket off of his head - at this point, I was pretty much laying sideways over him. I leaned my head closer to his, staring at him with a determined look in my eye. "Big brother!" I cried reaching over to pull his eyelid back. With a rough shake of his head Levi turned his head away from my prying hands.

Grumbling under my breath my fingers tapped lightly against the mattress.

I had a contingency plan thought out in case Levi refused to get out of bed: I'd intentionally make a mess. His OCD would force him to get out of bed. My gaze hardened, and I mentally projected the threat at him as I lethally nuzzled his cheek with my nose. _Just try me, big brother. You know I will do this._

With a heavy sigh, one of Levi's eyelids cracked open, sending me an evil glare. Levi pulled me onto his lap as he sat up, tilting my chin up so I would have to look him firmly in the eyes.

"Alright, brat. Listen up. If you go get dressed and help get breakfast ready, then _maybe_ we can leave soon," Levi said, his tone bored and weary. I perked up immediately at those words, a wide happy grin spreading across my face in sheer joy. I leapt off Levi's lap, jumping on the bed in pure glee, earning another death glare from my brother when I landed back in his lap, his legs taking the full force of my weight.

"Okay, I'll go now!" I cried, jumping from the bed. My feet hit the hardwood floor, and I bounded out of the room with a loud squeal of happiness. _We're gonna go see the sun, we're gonna go see the sun! _My mind chanted the phrase over and over, a literal hop in my step as I entered my room where I saw Isabel just getting up. Her red locks were vaguely resembled a rat's nest, her eyes closed as she let out a sleepy yawn, but she soon became alert when she spotted me skipping into the room.

"Happy birthday, little sis!" she cried, ruffling my hair as I passed her to get to our chest. It against the back wall of the room and housed our clothes - mine on the left, Isabel's on the right.

"Thanks," I said, rummaging for clothes. Eventually, I settled for my usual attire: black trousers and a red dress shirt; as soon as I had them on, I ran to the kitchen, ready to help make food. I nearly took out Farlan who was just entering the kitchen at a calm and normal pace, hastily dodging to avoid a collision.

"Slow down Sora." Farlan laughed as he ruffled my hair. Half Heartedly swatting his hand away I smiled.

"I'm excited!" I exclaimed loudly.

"Yes, I can see that." Farlan commented as he took a seat at the table. Resting his arm on the back of the chair he watched me zip around the kitchen at lightning speed as I set about preparing breakfast.

Several minutes later, Levi emerged. He still looked irritable, but that was just his normal facial expression. He was carrying his 3DMG with him. I shot him a smile. He rolled his eyes.

After a quick breakfast - well, it was quick for me: I practically inhaled my food, much to Levi's distaste and Isabel and Farlan's amusement - I jumped to my feet, running to go clean my plate off in the sink before we left. Levi hated it when dishes were left in the sink with food still on them.

"Now can we go?" I asked, looking pleadingly up at Levi. My big brother regarded me from his chair, a cup of tea held in his hand. He set the cup down as he spoke.

"Not before I do your hair," he declared. I groaned loudly. _Oh, come on!_

"Do you really have to?" I asked, a slight whine in my voice.

"Yes because it's a rat's nest. Did you even brush it when you got up?"

"But, it's not that bad," I complained, brushing my fingers through my hair as I did so. Levi's eyebrow rose as he pulled out a chair for me to sit on. Regarding me in silence, I admitted defeat. Crawling up into the chair, Isabel laughing at my dejected face.

"Sora is just excited." she smiled, her green eyes bright. I nodded in agreement, grimacing as Levi took my hair into his hands with a tug to begin his usual work. Reflexively, I tried to pull my head away. He always pulled my hair when he decided to do this, and I always wriggled in my seat as a result; this time was no different. I squirmed every time Levi grabbed at my hair to run the brush through, and he let out an annoyed grunt every time I squirmed, until finally Levi grabbed my chin firmly and titled it up so I was looking at him.

"Must we go through this every time?" he asked, exasperated.

"Yes, because you always tug my hair and it hurts," I explained. Levi rolled his eyes at my response.

"Little shit," he muttered. I laughed at the insult, but Levi cut me off by forcing me to yelp with a particularly painful and firm tug on my bangs. Oh, he so did that on purpose!

Muttering under my breath I tried to contain my squirming as Levi brushed my hair out.

After several minutes went by Levi gave my hair a final brush with his fingers and I knew that he had at last finished his task. I sighed with relief as he stood up fully.

"There, I can finally see your fucking face," he said as he held a small mirror in front of my face. My long brown locks were tugged into a ponytail but a few locks of my hair were twisted into braids completing the look. I touched the braids softly as I smiled up at Levi who rolled his eyes at me.

Ever since Merry had passed I always made sure to add a braid in my hair in her honor and remembrance.

"Thank you!" I cried happily leaping from the chair. Levi grunted as his response.

"Can we go now?" I asked.

"Yes, we can fucking go."

Squealing happily, Levi, Isabel, and Farlan had to put their gear on. I bounced impatiently on the balls of my feet as they did so, hurriedly stuffing my feet into my boots and bolting out the door just as they finished. I heard an irritated shout behind me - I knew it was Levi, but I didn't care. We were finally going to where the sun was! And to visit Merry!

A hand grabbed the back of my shirt, and I was hefted upwards into a familiar pair of arms. I breathed in Levi's comforting scent as I shot him a cute and innocent look.

"Brat, don't run off," he ordered sternly. I nodded my head as Levi shifted me into a more comfortable position: my arms around his neck, his right arm holding me up. As soon as Isabel and Farlan caught up with us Levi took off into the air with a running leap. Levi's hold remained firm as he shot the anchors of his gear into the top sections of far off buildings, a burst of gas propelling us forward, the buildings whizzing past us as we travelled through the Underground city. I felt as though I was flying like a bird, and I grinned madly. I always love these moments when Levi would carry me as he used his gear. I felt free.

Farlan and Isabel were following close behind. Glancing down to the ground below, I saw pedestrians staring in awe at us as we soared over their heads. A group of kids pointed and waved, while adults just looked either shocked or amazed - the expressions didn't change no matter how many times they saw Levi, Isabel and Farlan using their gear. There was something novel about thugs from the Underground taking to the air just like the Military Police.

I waved back at the kids, laughing as Levi did a quick spin.

"Go faster, Levi!" I yelled. Levi briefly glanced at me before shooting Farlan a quick nod. Levi faced forward, holding his hand grips tight and shooting the anchors as far as he could, the gas canister screaming as we were suddenly propelled forwards. I shrieked in delight as we flew higher before swinging low to the ground, wind rushing through my hair and in my ears. Levi bent his legs back as we swerved through the throng of people on the road, their startled yells mingled with my laughter. He shot the anchors even higher, and with his legs now feet first we shot upwards, higher than before, straight towards an abandoned building with wide windows.

The glow of candlelight and gas lamps faded as we passed through an open window, and soon we were shrouded with darkness. My laugh echoed around us. Levi bounced off the floor with his feet, shooting the grappling hook forward to pull us through the crumbling building, easily flipping over crates and rubble. My grip around his neck tightened, adrenaline pumping through my body at all the near collisions we had with contents of the cramped building. The dim glow of the Underworld light quickly grew brighter as we flew out of the building, Levi saying his goodbyes with a flashy forward flip, another burst of gas propelling us ever forward, my hair whipping behind me.

"Yahoo!" I shouted as Levi picked up even more speed. I let go of his neck and spread out my arms as if I was flying, Levi's right arm holding me firmly around the waist. Levi's anchors snagged onto a rock pillar and we veered sharply to the right, swinging through and around gigantic pillars of rock as we left the city behind and flew through the underground caverns. Levi spun and flipped. He was so showing off!

Finally, we made it to the cavern. Isabel and Farlan were already there waiting. It seemed that nod Levi gave Farlan was a silent indicator to go on ahead while he indulged me - something Levi rarely ever did, and something I wasn't going to start complaining about. I skipped over to Isabel and Farlan as soon as my feet were back on the ground.

"Did you have fun, little sis?" Isabel asked, her hands on her hips, her smile framed by her red hair.

"Loads! We went super duper fast and through a building and Levi did awesome flips and spins, it was so much fun!" I cried, throwing my hands in the air. "Hey Big brother, can you teach me how to use the 3D maneuver gear when I get older?" I asked, my wide, excited eyes looking up at Levi. It would be awesome if I learned, too - then I could help even more on their jobs.

"We'll see," he said, ruffling my hair as he walked past. I swear I glimpsed a proud and happy look in his eyes. Smiling, I turned and ran towards where I could see faint light trickling down from above, where I knew the cavern ceiling opened up to reveal the sky.

My feet thumped loudly on the rocks as I ran towards the light, the gaping hole soon coming into view, rays of sunlight shining faintly down into the cavern. With an excited squeal, I made a beeline directly for the best spot - directly under the hole. The sun's rays were far too diluted to touch me, but I could see a fraction of the vast blue sky from above: it was just how I remembered it from my old world, vast and blue and dotted with aimlessly meandering clouds. I smiled, my eyes closed in bliss as I began spinning in circles, my arms spread wide. I'd been here before on several occasions, but I never tired of it - each visit left me with a deeper sense of longing, a desire to not just see the sky, but to experience it. Experience the warmth of the sun on my skin, experience a cool summer's breeze as I lay and watch the clouds. I'd felt those things in my old world, but the sensations had been long forgotten. I couldn't help but wonder when we would escape this hellish world. The toll had been raised again forcing Levi, Isabel, and Farlan to work overtime just to get extra money, though it was probably pointless for them to try - the toll would be raised yet again soon enough. Just how much more money would we need?

Not wanting to dwell on those melancholy thoughts, I opened my eyes and stopped my spinning. The world around me turned topsy turvy as I walked towards my family, my arms windmilling wildly to help me stay balanced. Farlan and Isabel watched me with amused faces while Levi's expression looked the same as ever. I latched onto Levi's arm to stop the world from spinning as I continued to stare up at the sky. Isabel stretched out on the ground, hands behind her head and one leg crossed over the other, while Farlan sat a few feet away, his arms resting on his knees as he gazed at the world above. Levi moved to sit and I followed suit, worming my way to sit in between his legs. I wrapped one of his arms around me. He rested his free hand on my head.

The only sounds were the sounds of our breath and the occasional drip of nearby water - probably sewer water. Clouds shifted across the sky, and I watched some birds as they flew high above the ground. To fly freely must be nice. Even with the 3DMG there were still places we couldn't go - the surface being one of those places.

"Look, birds!" I shouted, happily pointing up. Levi and Farlan nodded. Isabel smiled. Seeing the birds reminded me of the one I saved; a mostly white bird with brown tail feathers and head. "Aww, I hope Gerald is doing okay," I mused, thinking of him. I wondered where he was. Did he find his family? Or did he find a nice lady bird and start one of his own?

"Tch, I hated that piece of shit," Levi said, earning a glare and repeated pokes in the cheek from me.

"He was a good bird! It's not my fault he wanted to use your head as a nest all the time," I explained defensively. Gerald surprisingly didn't mind interacting with humans, perhaps because he was saved by them. He was pretty cute, too - he used to eat out of my hand all the time.

"He took a shit on my head," Levi retorted, glaring back at me. He swatted my hand away and forcefully poked my cheek, his finger digging into my skin. I grunted in annoyance. I had to admit that Gerald may have done that once. Okay, maybe twice. Perhaps even five times, or seven if we counted the other two... Thankfully, he only ever shat on Levi.

"Besides that, he loved you. You're very loveable," I said. My glare left my eyes as I smiled and grabbed Levi's hand. Isabel tried to muffle an amused snort and failed, earning a light kick from Levi.

Laughing, I looked back up at the sky. After a while, we stopped our relaxing to play a few games. Anything to put off having to go back to the city. Levi cheated at tag. When he was it, he used his gear to grab me and then just carried me around like a sack of dirty laundry. Isabel and Farlan got into one of their many arguments. As I dangled over Levi's shoulder helplessly their shouts reached my ears as Isabel was protesting and saying how Farlan had not caught her. Farlan retorted by calling her an idiot and that he did catch her. Our version of tag sometimes was different then the standard version.

Getting into two teams, one group would be it while the other team had to run and evade like their life depended on it. Each team had to work together to survive or catch their target, it was a fun game of wits and teamwork.

Many rounds of tag were played.

Eventually, we had to head home but before that happened I ran over to Merry's grave. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out a gift and rested it gently on the cross. I always made sure to leave her something whenever we came to visit.

**XxxXxx**

Once home presents awaited me on the kitchen table, Farlan having laid them out when I bolted out the door in my rush to get to the cavern. The presents had all been wrapped in simple brown paper, the only paper really available for wrapping presents in the underground. I sat at the table, excited.

"Happy birthday, you little shit," Levi said, dropping his present to me on my lap.

The package was soft, and I quickly tore through the brown paper. Underneath the wrapping was a neatly folded black jacket. The wrapping fell to the floor where Levi swiftly disposed of it as I lifted the jacket up, unfolding it so I could better examine it. The outside of the jacket was dark black, the inside white and soft to the touch. On the front left of the jacket, four white birds had their wings spread in flight. My smile wouldn't leave my face as I put the jacket on.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed happily to Levi. He nodded as I opened the last two gifts. From Farlan, I got several new books I hadn't read before. From Isabel, I got a few colored ribbons for my hair.

I helped make dinner after the presents were opened, chopping vegetables and getting flicked in the forehead for eating the cucumber when Levi wasn't looking (I regret nothing). Dinner was really good (for the Underground standards of food, that's saying a lot). Somehow, Levi had found fresh bread and vegetables and made a delicious vegetable soup. I had to wonder how he managed this. I mean, this stuff was a delicacy down here! Not to mention a rarity!

I ate two bowls of soup while Isabel ate three, the two boys simply sticking with a single bowl each. Levi reprimanded Isabel for eating too quickly, the same old routine - if she got sick, he wasn't cleaning it up (even though we all knew that was a lie) - and I sat there laughing the entire time. Things were always the same around here, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Once we'd finished eating and cleaning the dishes, I was presented with something. Something that I hadn't even seen since my previous life. Something I'd had vague dreams and memories about. Something I swear was created by the gods.

Chocolate.

A medium sized chocolate bar was sitting before me on the kitchen table.

"Is this real?" I asked in disbelief. Farlan chuckled as Levi rolled his eyes like he couldn't believe I just asked that.

"It's real, you spoiled brat," he told me, ruffling my hair.

"It's no cake but it's something," Isabel exclaimed with an energetic smile. I grinned back as I broke the bar up into four pieces, sharing the chocolate out. I took my piece and jammed it excitedly into my mouth, practically purring in happiness as my taste buds exploded. The creamy bar melted on my tongue and immense nostalgia overtook me. So many memories... Of eating this stuff on holidays or sneakily at school, pretty much whenever it was available. This was the best birthday I'd ever had, and I wouldn't forget it anytime soon.

**XxXxXxXx**

Sora was curled up on the couch in her new jacket, clutching her book to her chest, and very deeply asleep. She looked serene, her chest rising and falling gently with each breath. Levi was happy to see her looking so peaceful although he'd never admit that aloud.

Levi's expression was the usual blank one, but inside he also felt happy and calm at the sight of his sleeping sister. The brat looked better content and smiling. Sora should never have to cry, but sadly it always happened; then, Levi could only try to cheer her up and comfort her. Seeing her tears left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was his job as the older brother to protect her, but there would always be times when he failed. Even so, Sora continued to amaze him with how easily she was able to bounce back. Even if the cheerful smile on her face was at times forced, it was her way of telling Levi that she'd pull through. But, seeing her relaxed and carefree right now pleased him.

"She tuckered herself out," Isabel smiled.

"Well, she was up early this morning," Farlan stated thoughtfully. Levi stood from his chair and approached the sleeping child tugging the book out of her grasp he set it aside. Gently slipping his arms around her Levi pulled her into his grasp. He lifted her into his arms, the brunette shifting in her sleep and mumbling something incoherent but remaining completely unconscious. Reassured she wouldn't wake, Levi carried her to her bed.

"Sweet dreams, little sis," Isabel whispered as Levi passed her. Farlan waved to the child even though he knew she couldn't see.

Levi had to nudge the bedroom door open with his foot before he could get inside and lay her gently on her bed. He tucked her under the covers, making sure she would stay warm through the night. It was why he'd bought her the jacket, so she could keep warm at night and stop sneaking into his bed to sleep next to him. Although, he knew deep down she'd still probably do that. Even when she was a teenager.

Deeming Sora to be neatly cocooned, Levi straightened up and headed for the door. The thought of allowing her to sleep in her street clothes made him cringe (dirt would get on the sheets, dammit), but she was sleeping so soundly and peacefully Levi couldn't bear to wake her up just for her to change into her pajamas.

"Big brother…?" a soft voice filled with sleep called. Glancing over his shoulder, Levi saw Sora sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes groggily. With a sigh, he turned around and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What, brat?" he questioned, eyebrow raised.

"I had fun today." Sora smiled, her eyes drooping slightly as sleep tugged at her. Levi smirked.

"Glad to fucking hear," he said, reaching over to flick her nose. "But, now it's time to sleep, so sleep," he ordered sternly. The last thing he needed was Sora complaining about how tired she was because she stayed up past her bedtime. He had to deal with that shit when that brat Merryweather used to stay the night. Despite the constant irritation that was Merry, Levi never truly hated the girl. He thought Merry was just what Sora needed - a friend. She might have been a bad influence, but she made Sora laugh in this manky shithole of a city, so Levi had to thank her for that. The brat's end was disgusting and cruel. He wished he could have shielded Sora from that.

"Okay." Sora said, settling back down under the covers. Levi turned to leave.

"Wait!" Sora suddenly cried, causing the older man to groan.

"Brat," Levi warned, as Sora jumped from her bed and ran to the chest on the side of the room. She was just begging to be cranky in the morning, Levi was sure of that. If this was one of her attempts to make him sleep with her, he was going to flick her; although he'd probably end up granting her request anyways. Levi sighed the sigh of a tortured man as Sora rummaged through the chest in the barely lit room, the only light source coming from the hallway. Levi could hear her mutter under her breath as she searched, and she began tossing things from the chest to the floor, making Levi cringe at the mess.

"Aha, found you!" she cried several seconds later. She bounced up to Levi (wasn't she sleeping like the dead not too long ago?) and held out a small box. Levi raised an eyebrow, hiding his curiosity.

"It's a present for you. I bought it the other day and wanted to give it to you today," she said shyly, still holding out the box. _That damn brat_, Levi thought as he accepted the box with a shake of his head. Didn't she know that she didn't need to get him anything? That her smile would be just enough?

He examined the box, holding it up to eye level and wondering what could be inside. It was small, so it wouldn't be any of the usual picks (cleaning supplies, weapons), and he doubted it would be some kind of food. It may have begun to rot, which would have been fucking disgusting.

"Oh, just open it. Quit looking at it like it's riddled with dirt," Sora said, rolling her eyes.

"Tch, fine. Demanding brat," Levi muttered, popping the top of the box open. Inside was a piece of white fabric; another cloth to clean his knife? He pulled the smooth fabric out to further inspect it. He was surprised to see that it wasn't just a simple piece of fabric - in fact, it was something entirely different.

A cravat.

"I saw it in the market and thought of you," Sora told him, rocking on her heels. He'd learned long ago that habit meant she was nervous. "So, I bought it because it seemed like something you'd wear. Don't worry, I washed it several times."

Levi tried to fight down a smile as he set the box down onto the table by Sora's bed. _This damn brat,_ he thought, neatly folding the cravat and stowing it away in his pocket.

"Thanks, brat. But, you didn't need to get me anything," he told her, tapping underneath her chin affectionately. The tiny brunette smiled.

"I know, but today isn't only my birthday... it's the day we met. The day you became my big brother," Sora said with a sentimental tone.

Levi would never forget meeting the brat who back then was tiny as fuck and covevered in dirt. He'd never forget how she slammed into him from behind as he was leisurely taking a stroll,big blue eyes staring wide and bright. He would never forget the feel of the little boney hand that clutched at his pant leg when those filth showed up. Nor would he never forget the dying words of the mother who'd decided to trust a complete stranger on a total whim, and the daughter's panic at witnessing her mother's death. However, he'd already forgotten the dying screams of the men he'd killed that day. Such scum did not deserve to be remembered.

Levi hadn't thought much about taking Sora in; he'd just readily agreed. Maybe it was because this little girl had reminded him of himself long ago... Of the person he had been before he'd killed, back when his mother, Kuchel, was still alive. If he had his mother, he could survive anything. Sora seemed the same.

He'd meant what he'd told her mother. Sora would be safe with him. He wouldn't abandon her. He'd never do to her what Kenny did to him.

Yes, Levi would never forget.

"Cute, little shit. Now, get to bed," Levi said, nudging Sora to her bed. With a small laugh, Sora complied, a yawn escaping her mouth. After she'd snuggled under the covers, Levi leaned down and placed a rare kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, big brother," she whispered, closing her blue eyes as Levi tucked the blankets around her.

"Love you too, brat," Levi replied, silently sneaking back into the hallway and closing the door behind him. Once back in the living room he threw himself into a chair with a deep sigh, crossing his legs and resting an arm on the back of the chair.

"Let me guess: she woke up and didn't want you to leave?" Farlan smirked. It wouldn't have been the first time Sora did that and certainly not the last.

"Little shit gave me a present," Levi replied with an eyeroll.

"Was it a broom?" Isabel laughed, resting her head on Levi's shoulder only to have it promptly shoved away by him as he reached into his pocket and brought out the cravat.

"It's a cravat," he stated, holding it up for Farlan and Isabel to see. Isabel laughed in disbelief and Farlan wore a bemused expression; the two had heard Levi complaining about how he wasn't able to find a cravat for weeks now. How Sora had found one was beyond them.

"Ah, I can't believe little sis is nine years old now!" Isabel exclaimed, plopping herself down on the couch and crossing her legs. Levi glared at her; she still had her shoes on. "Seems like only yesterday she was a little squirt clinging onto your back, big bro."

What was she going on about? The squirt still did that now.

"Soon, she'll be twelve. Levi will have to give her the sex talk," Farlan teased, his pale eyes glinting in amusement. Levi shot Farlan his most terrifying death glare for saying such a vulgar thing, but Farlan remained unperturbed and annoyingly happy.

"Can you imagine how that conversation will go?" Isabel cried, keeling over on her side in laughter. "Big bro will probably be like: "When one shitty person loves another shitty person, they do things and sometimes a little shit will be created because of it,"" she continued, attempting to do her best Levi impression while still laughing.

Levi glared at her and Farlan as they roared in their joy.

"Shut the fuck up, both of you!" he hissed lethally.

"Is big bro blushing!?" Isabel teased, pointing at Levi's face. Levi turned his head away, closing his eyes as the anger slowly built. _Tch, stupid shits._

"I think he is, Isabel," Farlan answered through a laugh.

"And I think you're all fucking idiots. Good night," Levi declared, abruptly standing and heading to his room. Behind him he could hear Isabel and Farlan calling out to him, pleading for him to come back, they were just teasing. Though both were still laughing as they did so. Ignoring them, he walked to his room and firmly closed the door behind him. It slammed lightly, but not loud enough to wake Sora.

Those shitstains were stupid if they thought he was blushing. His cheeks didn't feel hot at all (they did), and it wasn't like he could feel every drop of blood that rushed to his cheeks (he could). Having the sex talk with Sora was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to, now that Isabel brought it up. The brat was young and therefore didn't need to know of such things. As Levi thought about it, he decided that even when she was older she didn't need to know.

With an irritated sigh, Levi got ready for bed by changing into pristinely clean sweatpants and long sleeved shirt. However, Levi found himself staring mindlessly at the cracked ceiling once he had actually gotten into his bed. He allowed his mind to drift. They needed to get out of this slum. They have all seen too much shit, and he didn't want Sora to see any more. Sora shouldn't have to live this kind of life. No one should, but here they were in a city full of people doing precisely that. Levi had taken precautions such as training Sora in self defense and survival, but precautions seemed to be the only thing he was doing and yet bad shit still kept happening.

The death of Merry made Levi certain that he needed to get his baby sister out of this underground cesspool, and now he needed the money, so much money to make that happen - money to pay for the toll and a citizenship above ground. How many jobs did he need to take? How many more people did he need to kill to acquire that money for them all?

Sora always told him he wasn't a murderer, none of them were. They were just surviving.

One day, they would go to the world above and live a peaceful life where there was no fight for survival. One day, they would all get out of this dump and start over with their lives. They would live in a stable, clean home that didn't need repairs too often. They would live under the sun and stars and not under a rock ceiling. Levi would live a comfortable life and maybe open a tea shop. But, most importantly, he would live with his family... his baby sister. Levi would continue to raise Sora until she grew into a beautiful woman. The only job after that was to viciously maim any man who dared to look at her with a lust filled gaze... who dared to think they were good enough to be with his baby sister.

Hopefully their day of freedom would come soon.

**XxXxXxXx**

Two weeks had passed since my birthday, and life remained ever the same. Levi, Isabel, and Farlan would do their jobs while I occupied myself either at home or in the city if they didn't need my assistance. Sometimes I would read a book or wandered the Underground looking for something to do. Usually that entailed either browsing through the market or messing with the Military Police, but sometimes I'd join in on races other kids held just to pass the time. Life was always the same, never really changing... until today.

The day started off like it normally did. I got up and got dressed with Isabel. I headed into the kitchen for some breakfast. Levi and Farlan were already up and checking over their 3DMG. A cup of tea was on the table next to Levi, and judging from the aroma it smelt like he'd acquired some new tea leaves.

"Can I have a sip?" I asked, pointing to his cup.

"That's fucking gross, brat. Pour yourself your own cup," he replied, never even looking up at me, but I still caught the disgusted expression cross his features.

"Just one sip, please? I won't use the side you put your mouth on," I pleaded. I didn't really feel like pouring my own glass, and besides I only wanted a tiny taste.

"Pour your own, brat," Levi said firmly. Groaning, I complied and poured myself my own tea, not really feeling up to taking a sip of his own and then running for my life. You've never experienced true fear till you've had the pleasure of Levi chasing you down. It's a scary experience. That I keep going through, for some reason. If you got caught, you got nailed with cleaning duties for a week.

I grabbed an apple and bit into the fruit as I sat at the table with my tea. "So, I'll be out in the market while you're on your job," I said, Levi pausing in his gear maintenance to listen. He always wants to know where I'll be while he's not around. Ever the protective big brother.

"Don't cause trouble," he commanded. I feigned a wide-eyed, innocent look.

"Since when do I do that, big brother?" I asked, my head tilted to the side. Isabel and Farlan snickered behind me as they strapped their gear on. They knew all the grief I caused for the Military Police.

Levi flicked my nose for my cheek. Getting up from the table, I tossed my apple core in the garbage and headed for the front door. "Good luck!" I called as I dashed outside, jumping down the stairs and heading towards the market.

My hands in my pockets, I hummed a soft tune as I walked. The usual sights passed me by: sickly starving people, maggot ridden corpses, groups of menacing looking people; all of which I avoided. A sigh escaped my lips as I turned down a couple streets. _When can we leave this dump?_ I thought as I kicked a stone, _I know my brother does his best but when could we actually leave?_

How much more money do we need?

Life down here is the same. It never changes. Down here, it's just endure and survive. You endure what Underground throws at you and you try to survive it. If you want to survive, you're the one that'll have to change as the Underground sure as hell won't.

Kill, or be:killed/raped/tortured/mutilated, take your pick. Through the years as I continued to grow Levi never stopped his training with me. The knife skills he taught always came in handy when I had to fight for my life and as such Levi bought me a switchblade I kept it with me always. He was quite a good teacher; the other guy was the one that always wound up dead. Like when I saved Isabel - she got jumped while her gear was jammed, and fought like hell, but the other guy was so much larger and stronger than her... So, I launched myself onto the guy's back and rammed my knife into his neck. Right into the artery, just as Levi had shown me. I regret nothing.

Did I like killing?

No, I didn't. But, if it ensured the survival of me and my family, then I'd do it anyways.

I sighed, deciding to pull my thoughts from such a grim topic as I entered the market. People milled about, merchants shouting out their wares and prices. A group of kids ran by, chased by an angry merchant uttering curses about their existence. _Just a typical day,_ I thought as I meandered through the stalls, waiting for something to catch my eye.

My eye was caught by a speck of movement at the corner of my vision. I rounded a stall and slightly picked up the pace, leading a complicated and utterly redundant course around the same stretch of market. The same movement followed me, never quite able to get out of my line of sight in time whenever I turned to look at a merchant's wares. I was being followed. Calmly, I knelt to the ground, pretending to fix up the laces of my boots. I glanced under my arm, attempting to see my pursuer, who gave themselves away with the smallest amount of movement in the shadows of a nearby building. I could only make out a dark green cloak from where I was positioned - there was too much shadow, and their face was hidden. With a sigh, I stood and tapped my boot on the ground, pretending to test the fit. I turned on my heel and strode off, hands in my coat pockets, fingers lightly tracing my switchblade.

All my senses were on high alert as I wandered out of the market. Turning down another street, my ears immediately picking up the sound of 3DMG wires being shot and quickly realising the sound came from behind me. Glancing back, I quickly dove into a nearby alley to avoid being body slammed.

That wasn't be the Military Police!

"What the fuck?" I questioned as I took off running. Staying in this area wasn't safe and I knew I needed to haul ass because just before I dove into the alleyway, I managed to get a glimpse of the insignia on the green cloak. It was an insignia I hadn't seen in a long time, not since I figured out what world I was reincarnated into.

A pair of white and blue wings on a shield. The symbol of the Survey Corps.

What the hell was someone of the regiment doing here? Why were they after me? Hearing the familiar sound of the gear, I ducked down another street as quickly as I could. The situation wasn't looking too good. Running from the Military Police was easy because they were rubbish at using their gear - clumsy and out of practice, laziness and gluttony having dulled their senses. Running from the Scout Regiment was a completely different story. The regiment were the best soldiers, having the most skills compared to the Garrison and Military Police. _Understandable,_ I thought as I slid between two buildings, my back and chest scraping against the walls as I wedged myself between them. After all, they go outside the walls and fight titans. They actually have experience with their gear. They actually have experience with battle.

I quickly assessed my situation. Chances of escaping the Survey Corps? Probably less than zero. But, technically "less than zero" is still a chance, and maybe just maybe Lady Luck will be on my side today.

"Just run," I muttered as I dove out of the thin crevice I was in.

Sprinting full speed down the street, I heard my follower up in the air above me. I risked a glance and saw the familiar green cloak billowing behind my pursuer, who annoyingly managed to keep their hood up despite the wind rushing in their face. The body structure however told me that it was a woman chasing me; not that it made any difference. Nonetheless, I did have one advantage: I have a better knowledge of the city. Taking a sharp turn to the right, I ducked low as she swooped down, her arms outstretched and reaching. I kept my pace going and she kept up the chase. It was probably bad for me to feel this way, but this game of cat and mouse was exhilarating: far more fun than all the times I was chased by the Military Police. The soldier girl shook things up a bit; changed tactics every time she tried to grab me in an attempt to catch me unaware. It's a good thing I've had experience from running away from Levi. However, we couldn't keep this chase up for long. We'd already been going for about ten minutes.

Hitting the floor, I narrowly escaped as the girl swooped down in a burst of gas. I knew she wasn't stupid enough to deplete her gas, so waiting till she ran out wasn't an option. Heading to an open area was also dangerous unless there was a lot of people, but I doubted it would make any difference. Keeping your eyes on the target was an important task unless you wanted to get grabbed by a titan. I can't imagine crowds would be any different. Running instinctively forwards, I knew I'd fucked myself when I saw a dead end. Nothing but a large drop awaited me just like that time when the merchant cornered me.

Smiling, I saw my target. A simple clothesline. Running over, I undid the line and gave it a good tug. The line didn't snap as everything held tightly into place. Levi wasn't here to save me but I knew I could escape like this, Merry and I did something similar once upon a time. With a glance back I saw the soldier girl gaining. I smirked. I knew I could easily get out if I swung to the ground below and ducked into that abandoned building that awaited. Gripping the clothes line tightly in my hands, I jumped, airborne for a few seconds till gravity brought me down. Hair flying behind me, I let out a laugh as I swung through the air towards my destination.

Hearing the sounds of the 3DMG threw me off because it didn't come behind me like before. It came from my right. Whipping my head to the side, my eyes widened in shock as another Survey Corps member headed straight for me. Having no time to let go of the line, the soldier collided with me. My hands were wrenched from the clothesline and the world seemed to go topsy turvy as I struggled in the scout's grasp. This scout was a male, not the one who had been following me. He landed firmly on the ground with a simple spin. I continued to struggle, jabbing my elbows wherever I could stick them as I searched for any means of escape. The man holding me grunted as I reached quickly into my coat pocket for my switchblade. Pressing the button and the blade flipped out. Gripping the handle tightly, I aimed the blade back towards the man's face, preferably his eye, but he was quick. He grabbed my wrist tightly. Gritting my teeth in anger, I tried pushing my hand forward, but he was far stronger than me. My hand didn't budge at all.

"Drop it, girl," he said, tightening his grip. I tried to push my hand towards his face again, but eventually gave up. He was too strong. I let the blade slip through my fingers. "Good girl," the man praised with a smile on his lips as he kicked my knife away. It skittered on the ground before landing in a drain filled with sewage.

"Fuck you," I retorted as the man locked my arms at his sides. The girl who'd been chasing me earlier landed next to us. I shot her a glare. Just because they had me didn't mean I was going willingly. I decided to follow the example of many other kids my age, and I pitched one hell of a fit. Both the man and woman exchanged words, but I barely heard a thing through my thrashing and cursing. They began walking off down the dimly lit street, the man holding my thrashing body aloft. No one was around, and even if there was, no one would help me. People only looked out for themselves down here.

"Piece of shit, let me go!" I screeched as I jerked about. My face I knew was flushed red from all my yelling and struggling. I attempted to smash the back of my head against the soldier's face but he swiftly tilted his head back. "Let go, dammit! Shitstains! Fuckers! Titan fodder!"

A firm hand was clamped tightly over my mouth, my insults muffled.

"Such foul language for a kid... Didn't your parents ever teach you not to swear?" the guy inquired, a curious and amused tone in his voice. _No, _I mentally replied. _My mom's dead and I don't know who my father is._ _The person who actually raises me cusses without a care in the world. So, excuse me for picking up his habit of swearing._ My thrashing continued despite my screams being muffled. This was gross. I have no idea where his hand had been.

"Al, she lives down here. What did you expect? A sweet little girl?" the woman asked incredulously, eyebrow raised. What the hell did that mean!? I am a nice, sweet little girl, unless someone attacks me or my family. Then, all bets are off.

"I knew it was gonna be bad down here, Alicia. But, man - I didn't think she'd try to stab me, let alone cuss," the man Al said.

Through my struggles I heard a familiar voice.

"Lemme go! You little-"

Isabel!?

I got my answer when we turned onto a new street. Isabel was struggling in a scout's grasp while Farlan consented his defeat and chose to remain still. Farlan always knew when to fight and when not to. Isabel and I were different: we weren't going down without one. This even includes Levi catching me if I did something wrong. I wasn't afraid to fight him.

Isabel stopped struggling long enough to notice me. Her face flushed red in anger. "Let little sis go!" she screeched, kicking her legs upwards as her fighting began anew. Farlan, hearing her protest, quickly turned to look at me... as did someone else with black hair and a familiar face. But, how could they have captured Levi!?

No, wait. Levi was the only one of us not being held down by a scout. He was standing in front of a tall blonde haired, blue eyed man with some seriously unnatural eyebrows. Erwin Smith was finally here my mind whispered.

Levi's face at first wore an expression of disbelief, which quickly turned into a rage I'd never seen on him before, but before I knew it my entire family had been handcuffed. Levi, Isabel and Farlan were forced to kneel on the dirt before Erwin. I remained in the soldier's grasp. Levi's gear was taken from him. Farlan's and Isabel's gear had already been taken.

Erwin regarded the three coldly, before finally speaking in an authoritative voice. "I'm going to ask you a few questions. First, where did you obtain these?" he held up a hand grip. He was greeted with nothing but silence. "Your 3D maneuver gear skills are also remarkable. Where did you learn how to do that?" he pressed.

Again, silence.

I could see Farlan looking elsewhere, Isabel glaring in frustration right into Erwin's eyes, and as for Levi... Well, he was scaring me. I've seen him angry before, but this was a whole other level of anger that Levi was exhibiting. He let it out in full force. His expression remained emotionless, but you could practically taste the waves of killing intent and rage rolling off of him. It sent shivers down my spine and was accompanied with a stare of seething hatred that pierced his steel gray eyes. It was a look I didn't like. I never wanted to be on the receiving end.

"You are the leader, correct?" Erwin probed, moving to stand before Levi. "Have you ever received military training?" he pried, trying to get answers.

Erwin examined Levi's face. "Your face is telling me that you're plotting how best to kill us and escape, right?" he questioned. Leave it to big brother to be doing just that. With a sigh, Erwin turned to one of his scouts as he muttered something about how he didn't want to use violence. The scout, a man with neatly parted blond hair and a mustache, promptly grabbed Levi by the hair and slammed his head into the ground, right into a puddle of muddy sewer water, before anyone could react. Isabel and Farlan's expressions morphed to shock. My expression turned vindictive;my eyes narrowed and darkened. I was downright livid. How dare he touch my brother!

Without even thinking, I clamped my teeth as tightly as I could onto the hand that covered my mouth. I bit down until I broke the skin. The man holding me cried out in pain, yanking his hand from my mouth, his grip around me loosening considerably. Thrashing wildly out of his grasp I landed on the ground, I grabbed the nearest weapon I could find: a jagged rock. Running towards my big brother, intent on protecting him and hurling the rock as hard as I could at Erwin. The one who gave the order to hurt my brother. He needed to pay. The rock connected with its target, a drop of blood running down the man's face from his forehead, where the rock connected. Why didn't he dodge...? Maybe he wasn't expecting it.

I stood in front of Levi with my arms spread out in front of him my fists clenched, glaring spitefully at the tall blonde man before me. Tall, with a muscular build that put most men to shame. I stared him down, somehow managing to not get distracted by his eyebrows. Blue eyes met blue as he stared back, his curious expression looking mildly ridiculous with blood running down the middle of his face. Pure silence filled the area; I wouldn't let him near my brother, that was for damn sure. Sadly, the universe hates me and the woman who was chasing me earlier ran over to grab me. My eye contact with Eyebrows was broken as I tried to aim a punch at the woman, but the woman was faster. Dodging swiftly she grabbing me tightly around the waist pinning my arms as she did so. I kicked and screamed as she proceeded to pull me away.

"Let go! Big brother!" I screeched, trying to reach for him, but she wouldn't let me. Her grip tightened, and I winced in pain, and let my thrashing die down slightly. Levi looked even more enraged as he watched me being manhandled.

"Your sister... she has the same expression on her face as you do," Erwin commented, looking at me. "Her face is telling me how can I kill this man who's obviously the leader and save my brother."

"Let me ask you one more time," Eyebrows said, getting back to the task at hand. "Where did you learn 3D maneuvers?"

Levi didn't answer. He just glared.

"We didn't learn from anyone!" shouted Isabel.

"We picked up on these skills in order to survive this dump we call a home. Someone who doesn't know the taste of sewer water wouldn't understand," Farlan growled, but Erwin seemed pleased with their answers.

"My name is Erwin Smith. What is yours?" he asked Levi.

Levi remained silent, not willing to give his name. Not liking the silence, the man holding Levi's head down shoved his head further into the muddy water, getting mud all over Levi's face. I let out a yell as I kicked about. Levi gasped when the man finally lifted his head out of the muddy water, coughing a bit as dirty water ran down his face.

"If you keep this up, we'll have to get your comrades involved," Erwin said. _He wouldn't!? _I thought in shock, but a part of me told me that he would and that part was right. Two Survey Corps members walked up to Isabel and Farlan, each placing a hand on their heads and holding a blade to their throats. My eyes widened in shock when a blade was held up to my own. Erwin Smith certainly knew how to use everything to his advantage.

"If you're gonna do it, just do it already!" Isabel shouted to the scout holding her head.

"You bastard," Levi hissed, staring Erwin down.

"Your name?" Erwin said, returning the stare.

Through gritted teeth big brother spoke. "It's Levi."

With a nod of his head, Erwin walked closer to Levi, which was something I didn't like, but I didn't dare was a blade being held to my throat.

"Levi," Erwin said as he knelt down before my brother. "Won't you strike a deal with me?" he questioned in a serious voice.

"A deal?" big brother asked tentatively, uncertainty in his voice.

"I won't ask what crimes you've committed. In return you'll lend me your strength. Join the Recon Corps," Erwin stated. It wasn't a question.

"And if I refuse?" Levi asked.

"I'll turn you into the Military Police," Erwin said easily. My mind screamed in refusal at that idea. "In the first place, considering all the crimes on your record, you getting off easy is out of the question. However, your friends won't be able to hope for decent treatment, either." Erwin continued. "I also doubt they would treat a child fairly just because she was a child. Choose whichever you prefer."

Erwin got up from his kneeling position and stood back. Silence permeated the area. Farlan was glancing at Levi while Isabel gritted her teeth in anger as she stared straight ahead. I looked at Levi with a calm expression despite the circumstances. As he glanced back at us, his eyes met mine for a few seconds before a resolve set in.

Spitting, Levi turned his attention to Erwin.

"I'll take it. I'll join the Recon Corps." big brother said firmly. Erwin smiled, pleased with the answer that was given to him. He nodded his head to his subordinates. The blade was removed from my neck and I immediately squirmed out of her grasp. The handcuffs were removed from my family. I didn't waste a minute as I dashed over to Levi and clung onto him. Without a word or me asking to be held, Levi lifted me into his arms. I ignored the gross dirty water and dirt on his face as I laid my head on his shoulder. Levi held me close as I shot Erwin a silent glare, still angry about the order to hurt my brother.

"You'll be escorted to your home to pack your things. From there, we head to the surface," Erwin ordered. Oh, boy big brother wasn't going to like that.

My heart raced in my chest at hearing those words. The surface... we were going to the surface... we were finally going to feel the sun and see the vast sky from above! We were going to get out of the darkness!

**XxxXxx**

We walked in silence as the sounds of our footsteps echoed around us as we made our steady climb to the surface. My hand held Levi's tightly as I stayed ever close to his side. The loud boisterous noises of the city had been long left behind shortly after we made our ascent. It was strange not to hear it.

Erwin took the lead as if he was some kind of angel leading us out of this darkness. In reality that could very well be true considering he was our ticket to freedom

My heart was racing in my chest, I couldn't believe this was actually happening. I knew the choice Levi would make upon Erwin entering the picture, I knew the events after. But actually being able to see this freedom from hell was surreal. To actually leave Underground...the place I called home for nine years of my life was exhilarating but terrifying at the same time.

Trade one hell for another. The death wouldn't stop here and I knew that but no one else did.

As we climbed higher and higher eventually I could make out a bright light at the far end of the tunnel we walked. A loud gasp escaped me as I let Levi's hand go, he didn't stop me as I ran on ahead past Erwin to the bright light. That bright light that was the sun awaiting us.

Sprinting full speed I jumped the last few steps and practically threw myself out of that dark tunnel. The bright light washed over me causing me to wince in pain and shut my eyes, I wasn't used to so much light. I felt the warmth of the sun wash over my body like a warm blanket as the hustle and bustle of the city above permeated my senses.

The sounds of horses and carriages traversing along the cobblestreet, the scent of warm fresh bread, conversations of many were carried to me as people walked about.

Opening my eyes slowly I blinked several times to get used to the lighting and my jaw dropped. Beautifully crafted buildings extended for miles to see, none were broken or abandoned. Well dressed people passed me as they went about their business. Rotten food and trash didn't litter the streets and nor did maggot filled dead bodies. Everything was clean and the scent of the above world was fresh to breath in as a breeze ruffled my locks. Gone was the putrid sour smell of the Underground. Turning my gaze upwards I stared wide eyed at the beautiful vast blue sky that seemed neverending.

"Mama….Merry...were free." I whispered as tears burned my eyes.

"Woah!" I heard Isabel cry out in disbelief.

Turning around I watched as my family reacted to the world above. Isabel was excited as she bounced on her heels as her head turned every which way not wanting to miss a thing, Farlan seemed dazed and confused as he stood wide eyed in disbelief, he was actually out of that cesspool, Levi kept his usual default expression but despite the anger I knew he was feeling he did seem a little impressed by what he saw. His eyes told me so.

Running over I latched onto his arm. "Were out, Levi!" I cried happily. Looking down at me Levi nodded his head as his hand ran through my hair.

"There was something I neglected to mention." Erwin said catching all of our attention as two carriages rolled up. Most likely our rides. "While you three will be with the Survey Corps, Sora has to be relocated elsewhere. Don't worry, I took the liberty of finding her a good home, I assure you she will be safe and well cared for. She departs tomorrow morning."

With a nod of his head at us all and well wishes for my safe journey Erwin climbed into the carriage that awaited him.

My world came crashing down all at once.

**XxxXxx**

**Alex:Long chapter for you guys! I hope you all liked it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alex:I apologize for the wait on this chapter, it's been crazy on my end but it's here now so enjoy!**

**Also before I forget I posted a new AOT story, it's another reincarnation fic. But if you like this story please go check out my other one when you have the time!**

**XxxXxx**

**Chapter 6:Goodbye for now **

As the carriage rattled along the cobblestone street I stayed securely in Levi's lap. My head rested against his shoulder as I gazed out the small window. The outside world was a blur as it shattered around me into a million pieces and I could do nothing to put everything back together again. I was leaving my family come tomorrow morning.

At the time of the abrupt news I couldn't help but glare lethally at Erwin as he sauntered into his carriage. Isabel screamed profanities at him, declaring that I wasn't going anywhere and was staying with them. It eventually led to Farlan covering Izzy's mouth as her temper tantrum was drawing unwanted attention. Passerbys gave us curious or mean looks but I didn't care at all as I attached myself to Levi's side. He swiftly plucked me up into his arms and held me close as all of us clambered into the carriage that awaited us.

Now here we sat in silence gazing at the outside world around us through a tiny window. The soldier that was stationed with us tried to make friendly conversation and even offered me sweets but no one responded to him. Levi downright glared death at him which shut him up entirely making me smile if only slightly.

I knew I was acting like a child by clinging to Levi like so. But knowing I wouldn't be by his side along with Isabel and Farlan was gut wrenching. All of us had been together for so long, parting ways would be one hell of a challenge.

Even if I understood Erwin's reasoning for all this I still didn't approve.

Once the carriage came to a halt we all exited as the soldier told us all to stay put as he went to announce our arrival. A vast castle stretched out before us making my eyes widen in amazement, never in this life had I seen something so beautiful.

"Levi, about joining the Survey Corps ...does this mean…" Farlan uttered quietly his words trailing off into silence.

Glancing over to stare at Farlan and then at Levi I frowned as I watched them quietly. Levi's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"I'm NOT joining the corps. I only came here to get closer to that blondie. That bastard. Once I get the chance, I'll kill him straight away." Levi spat as his grip on me tightened considerably making me wince. Eyes narrowing further a hostile expression etched into Levi's features making a shiver curl down my spine. Not gonna lie but it was always scary to see Levi like this. When he got like this- which was rare-you never wanted to be on the receiving end of his ire.

Isabel and Farlan's eyes widened at Levi's declaration. The ball was continuing to roll as a choice with no regrets continued to play out before me.

"Hey…" Isabel whispered softly trying to form words.

"You remember my plan, right? If you're still not sure, tell me and I'll explain once more." Farlan said giving Levi a serious look. "Those guys won't come to contact us again. It's meaningless if we kill Erwin now. This is our chance."

Chance to kill Erwin and get those incriminating documents for the nobleman Lobov who owns the 11th stairwell. Without them he was liable to get arrested because those documents proved he was embellazing Scout Regiment funds. And hearing of us and our reputation of getting the job done, Lobov requested our services, showering us with sweetened treasures if we succeeded.

Treasures in the form of entry to the upper world and citizenship, a chance for us to get out of our cage with no fear of being sent back. That man even promised to give Levi a bunch of money so I could attend school. It was sweet and ripe for the picking, how could my family possibly pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity. No matter how sweetened the words or dazzling the rewards I knew the tragedy that would unfold but this time I wasn't merely sitting in front of my laptop watching everything play out before me. This time I was a player and I intended to play my part and save Isabel and Farlan.

Killing Erwin wouldn't do any good, Isabel and Farlan needed to trust him. Most importantly Levi needed to trust him wholeheartedly.

"Maybe instead of killing Erwin you should trust him." I commented softly making all eyes turn to stare at me. Two with shock and one with irritation, I winced at the looks.

"What are you saying Sora?" Izzy asked astounded as Farlan opened and closed his mouth like he was a fish.

Huffing I stared down at everyone. "I just think he's someone we can trust is all and I think you all should too." I said earnestly making Levi snort in dry amusement. Setting me down on the ground the soldier returned beckoning us to follow him. We all followed in silence as we walked through the giant iron gates leading into HQ. Scurrying forward to catch up with Levi I grasped his hand tightly but flinched when he snatched his hand away from mine as if I was filthy.

I froze dead in my tracks as a soft gasp escaped me. Eyes wide in disbelief I felt Farlan rest his hand on the back of my head as I vaguely heard Isabel reassuring me that Levi was just cranky and needed space.

"I think I hurt him with what I said." I whispered softly.

Hurting Levi was the last thing I wanted.

**XxxXxx**

The rest of the day was spent in silence as each of us was given a temporary room. Isabel and I were grouped together in one room with Farlan and Levi in the other. Deciding to do what Isabel had said I gave Levi space.

My mind raced with many ways to apologize to Levi for what I had said but in the end it wouldn't make a difference. I was firmly set on my belief, I just wish Levi knew that I trusted him too.

Isabel tried to lift my spirits and play games with me but I shrugged her off. I wasn't in a playful mood right now and all I wanted to do was sit in silence and stay to myself.

So, I did just that as the sun dipped lower and lower on the horizon. I sat at the window and watched as day slowly turned to night. The warm rays of the sun painted across my skin and the sky as warm colors of red, orange, and yellow splashed across the blue concealing it completely. Isabel was mesmerized as her face suctioned cupped to the glass, green eyes dancing with wonder and delight.

I spoke up only once to tell her if she kept that up she would leave streaks on the glass. Shoving my shoulder Isabel told me to stop channeling my inner Levi.

Dinner was brought to us that evening. Potato soup, a small loaf of bread, complete with a cup of water. Izzy and I were delighted as we practically inhaled our meal and promptly choked on it at some point. The potatoes weren't molding or soggy, the bread wasn't stale, and best of all, the water didn't have the taste of sewage. The water was crisp and fresh and left no gross ass aftertaste, it was the best thing ever.

Once dinner was done and the stars began to play Isabel declared it was bedtime for me. Pouting slightly I pulled myself away from the window as Izzy drew back the curtains, changing into my night attire I flung myself onto the feather soft bed. Tucking me in Isabel flopped herself on her own bed after she blew out the candles that lit the room. Sleep didn't come to me as five minutes crept by soon followed by an hour, I laid in the darkness with nothing but the moon's glow creeping through the curtains. I was restless and antsy, my mind running rampant with too many thoughts. I was leaving tomorrow and Levi was upset with me, I didn't want to part ways on bad terms.

Sitting up, I grabbed my boots where they laid neatly by my bed and put them on.

Isabel's bed was empty as the covers were thrown back haphazardly and her pillow was on the floor, she crept stealthily out of the room five minutes ago.

Knowing where everyone was I silently slinked out of the room and closed the door quietly. The hallway was dark and nothing could be heard. My footsteps were soft and light as I walked. My eyes took in every nook and cranny as I turned down several hallways and up a stairway. It was at the top of the stairwell I ran into Isabel and Farlan who were silently arguing.

"Are you guys stalking Levi too?" I asked curiously causing them to go silent and turn to me.

They nodded their heads.

Laughing quietly I followed them to where Farlan said he had a hunch where Levi would be.

After proceeding up several more flights of stairs we crept out a door that headed back outside. That's where we saw Levi sitting on the ledge of the castle stargazing.

The stars shone brightly in the sky as the full moon graced us with its presence casting a heavenly glow upon us all. My lips curled into a big smile, how long had it been since I last seen the stars?

"You're keeping all this to yourself? That's so unfair." Farlan grumbled frowning.

"You sneaked off all on your own, too…" Isabel said with her hands behind her head. Her bright green eyes were transfixed on the sky above.

"It's because you three are so noisy. I can't even kill anything quietly with you guys around." Levi stated nonchalantly without turning to face us.

Isabel and Farlan walked over to take a seat next to Levi but I hung back slightly as I rocked on my heels unsure of what to do.

"Come and sit, little sis!" Isabel exclaimed loudly as she passed Levi and Farlan some cheap alcohol.

We may or may not have done a kitchen raid on the way here.

Biting my lip I took a hesitant step forward, placing myself between Levi and Farlan I wrung my hands together as I glanced at Levi. As always he was expressionless as his steel grey eyes observed the stars above, when his gaze drifted to mine I looked away quickly.

Wringing my hands ever tighter, the flesh turned stark white as my nails dug small crescents into my skin. "I'm sorry for hurting you earlier!" I exclaimed loudly as I slowly turned to face my brother. "I trust you and I don't place Erwin's trust higher than yours, I was just stating that you should trust him too! To me he seems trustworthy despite the means he took to chain you to the military and…"

A harsh flick to my forehead had me sputtering in pain.

"You don't need to apologize, idiot." Levi said quietly as I rubbed the reddened skin on my head. "I'm the one who should be doing so not you."

Blinking I shook my head. "But I hurt you."

Sighing Levi picked me up and deposited me onto his lap. "You didn't hurt me, so stop giving me that constipated look."

Staring up into Levi's eyes he regarded me with his usual bored face. His grey eyes glowed in the moonlight giving off an eerie look but deep within I saw an apology within his irises. Smiling softly I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. My cheek nestled against his as I nuzzled him.

Isabel cheered beside us, happy we were on better terms.

Settling down into silence all of us watched the stars peacefully. A gentle summer's breeze tugged at us as the crickets played their music for all to hear. I didn't want this moment to end.

"They say stars actually go round and round in the sky, is that true?" Isabel asked out of the blue, breaking the silence.

"Seems like it." Farlan uttered softly his pale eyes never leaving the sky.

"There's Orion's belt!" I shrieked loudly in excitement. Pointing up at the sky where the stars drew out the image before me I kicked my legs back and forth. "Hmm where's Canis Major? That's my favorite constellation." I mumbled to myself as my index finger traced the heavens.

"Orieen's belt? Canus Major?" Isabel questioned confused as she tried to pronounce the names.

"Where did you learn that Sora?"

Freezing my body went stiff as I began to laugh nervously. "I found an old tattered book about the stars." I lied through my my chin upwards Levi appraised me with a raised eyebrow.

"You're a weird kid."

Sticking my tongue out at him I swatted his hand away as I focused back on the sky. Isabel desperately tried to find the constellation I pointed out but to no avail. Reaching over I grabbed Isabel's hand and drew out the picture that the stars drew, she was so excited when she finally saw it. Farlan was greatly interested and even Levi as well-though he wouldn't admit it- as I showed them other constellations. In my other life stargazing was always a fun pastime, I recalled many times sitting out on the back porch with a notebook open on my lap and a telescope by my side.

After so many years in the dark it was wonderful to see them again.

"Farlan." Levi stated suddenly catching the blonde's attention as well as mine. "I've decided. I won't kill him now. I'll trust you."

Cheering in happiness at Levi's decision Isabel soon let out a screech as she screamed about a shooting star. Looking quickly upwards we saw a brilliant light zipping across the brilliantly lit sky.

"Quick make a wish!" I shouted as I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes. I wished with all my might that I could save Isabel and Farlan.

Several seconds ticked by before I opened my eyes once more, tipping my head back I smiled at Levi.

"Did you make a wish?"

"I wished you would go to sleep. It's way past your bedtime." he said disapprovingly making me frown.

"That's a stupidass wish."

The thump I received on my nose had me squealing.

**XxxXxx**

We called it a night several minutes after the shooting star. I hung limply in Levi's arms as he carried me back to the room. My eyelids felt like heavy weights against my eyes as I fought to keep them open, all the excitement from the day drained me. It was hard to believe last night I slept underneath a rocky sky and tonight I would rest free underneath the stars.

Bidding Isabel and Farlan a goodnight, Levi carried me to our room-Farlan volunteered to bunk with Izzy so Levi and I could be together- and into bed.

Shucking our shoes off Levi crawled into bed and tucked the covers around us both. As he did so only then did I remember what tomorrow would bring and I panicked as anxiety began to wrap it's harsh claws around me. Bolting upright I winced as my head connected with Levi's chin causing him to curse loudly. Whispering a soft apology I threw the covers off of me and got out of bed, taking a deep breath I released it slowly. My heart jabbered away like a mockingbird refusing to quiet it's melodious tune.

"Something bad is going to happen after I leave!" I said sternly making Levi raise his brow in curiosity and slight confusion.

"Nothing bad is going to happen, brat." Levi tsked as he sat up. "Get your ass back into bed, you need sleep."

"No!"

The intense look Levi sent my way once that word left my lips had me paling.

"Repeat the shit that came out of your mouth."

"I'm not repeating myself. Something bad is going to happen and you need to listen, keep Isabel and Farlan with you at all times on the expedition!" I shouted. Words tumbled out of my mouth like a ball careening down a hill. I couldn't stop. "You're stubborn and assured by your strength, you'll go on ahead to kill Erwin when the moment is right but don't! If you do Isabel and Farlan will die, our family will die! Don't make that choice you'll regret so much, keep them close always. You trust Izzy and Farlan so trust me too!"

My body at this point was shaking uncontrollably as tears burned my eyes. Levi's usual stoic face was contorted in shock, his eyes wide and big as they stared intently at me.

"Trust me Levi." I whispered choking back a sob as my eyes slipped closed. Several tears escaped my eyes, I could feel them streak down my face as I envisioned Isabel's severed head on the muddy ground. Her once bright and lively green eyes were now dim and frozen forever in horror as she stared upwards at something only she could see. On the ground next to her was Farlan, everything from the waist down was gone. Blood congealed around him as his intestines were dangled and on display for the whole world to his. His eyes were closed as if he was merely asleep as blood dribbled down his chin.

Standing between them both was Levi, his whole body was soaked to the bone in rainwater and titan blood. His dark hair covered his eyes as tears streaked his face only hidden by the water that stained his skin. His body trembled and shuddered with silent sobs as he grinded his teeth together in pain and agony.

The pain of loss, the agony of his choice.

I didn't want to see that at all!

As more tears escaped my closed eyes I felt Levi's strong arms wrap around me. Pulling me up and into his tight embrace the floodgates opened and I cried my heart out.

"Please! I don't want Isabel and Farlan to die! I don't want you to be in pain!" I wailed loudly as I pressed my head into Levi's shoulder. "Big brother please!"

Shushing me softly Levi ran his hands through my hair and tugged gently at my long locks. It calmed me down if only slightly.

I don't know how long we stayed like that. Holding each other tightly as we attempted to comfort one another. Eventually my cries died down to soft hiccups and sniffles and the fatigue I felt earlier was nothing compared to now. My entire body felt like lead as I laid slouched against Levi, my eyes struggled to stay open.

Laying me gently down Levi curled around me as he pulled the blankets up to my chin. Swiping my bangs to my side he massaged my head which only further fueled my body to slip into oblivion.

"I trust you, Sora."

**XxxXxx**

"Dammit Isabel get off."

Thud.

"Ow! Asshole!"

"Both of you shut the fuck up, the brat had a shitty night and I want her to get a few more minutes of sleep. And if you two wake her up, I'm inclined to hit you both."

Feigning sleep I stayed put against Levi's chest as I he gently stroked my hair. I had awoken at the sound of Farlan's yell but didn't bother enough to crack an eye open to see the commotion. Wanting to protect them from Levi's wrath I stayed put and kept my breathing at ease.

"Little Sis cried, didn't she. Because she'll be leaving soon..." Isabel whispered her words trailing off.

"Something like that." Levi sighed tiredly.

"Don't worry my plan will work and after will go get Sora."

"Yeah! What Farlan said. His plans have never failed us before so will get this done lickety split!"

"What will we get done?" I asked curiously having enough of playing pretend. Opening my eyes I regarded my family with a tired smile. Farlan glared at a sheepish Isabel before hitting her upside the head.

"Hey!"

Chuckling I rubbed my eyes as another yawn escaped me. Eyes watering from the force I slumped against Levi who flicked my forehead.

"This is why I tell you to go to bed on time." he reprimanded.

"Doesn't mean I'll listen."

Levi narrowed his eyes at me but didn't say anything, I shot him a cheeky smile.

"If your awake to make shit comments then your awake to get dressed."

"Five more minutes." I whined as I clung to him. Shoving me off him and out of bed I landed on the floor with a loud thump as I groaned in pain from where I lay on the ground.

"Big brother's mean." I whined.

The pillow that nailed me in the head only further proved my statement.

**-Ten minutes later-**

Breakfast was eaten in silence with Isabel occasionally trying to lighten the mood by telling jokes. I tried to be entertained by them I really did but I couldn't focus. I was leaving after we were finished eating and I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

When we finished eating I grabbed my satchel that carried my belongings and hung it over my shoulder. My heart pounded in my chest at a fast rate and I felt nauseous as I took Levi's hand, with my other I latched onto Farlan's. All of us walked hand in hand to the gated entrance of the Survey Corps. As we crept closer to the gate I squeezed Levi and Farlan's hand tighter. When I saw the horse drawn carriage and Erwin standing next to it conversing with my escort-a middle aged man who appeared to be in his late forties-I knew I was cutting off circulation.

I felt like I was going to be sick.

Looking up from his conversation Erwin nodded his head to us all. He explained that this man, Mr. Johnson, would escort me to where I would be staying for the foreseeable future. I barely heard a thing as my ears rang and my body shook.

Erwin left us alone and now it was my family and I with this foreign man I did not know.

"Rest assured she's in safe hands. I'll send a letter when she reaches her destination." Mr. Johnson smiled reassuringly as he held his hat in his hands. His blue eyes glittered in kindness but I didn't pay him any attention as Levi and Farlan pulled their hands out of my vice like grip. Looking back I stared up at them with wide eyes unsure of what to do.

Isabel gave me a watery grin as tears brimmed her emerald eyes, Farlan lifted his hand up in farewell as he offered me a gentle smile, and Levi stared me down with his normal default expression. Nodding his head towards me I turned to Mr. Johnson and took a shaky step forward. Smiling he opened the carriage door and upon that action I turned quickly on my heel and launched myself at Levi as my tears from the night before came back in full force.

"Don't let him take me, Levi!" I cried loudly, pressing my face into his stomach my arms locked around his waist. "We have to stay together! Bad things are going to happen."

"Brat." Levi said softly as he tried to tear me away from him. Screaming in protest I held tighter to him and refused to let go. I was acting like a two year old but I didn't give a damn and nor did I care what everyone thought. I didn't want to leave the only home I knew!

Isabel and Farlan tried to calm me down with gentle pats to my back and head as they whispered reassuringly to me.

Feeling Levi successfully tug my arms away from him I whimpered as I tried to reach out for him. Keeping my arms away with one hand Levi crouched down to the ground, reaching out with his other he gently flicked my nose.

"It's not goodbye forever, only for now."

I shook my head. "I know but…" my words trailed off as I bit my lip. My vision was blurred by tears as Levi tugged me into his arms tightly. My arms locked around him immediately as I buried my head into the crook of his neck as I sobbed loudly. Tears and snot stained my face and Levi's skin but the raven didn't care as he held me in silence.

Couldn't we just go back to when times were simple by Underground standards? Where we lived in moderate peace and stuck to ourselves. Where daily life consisted of taking dirty jobs to acquire cash, fucking with the military police, browsing around the market, running amock around the city, being with my family everyday. I was selfish but I knew the future was going to get messy and dangerous soon and that terrified me to no end. We couldn't go back because there would be no going back.

Simple times were over.

And here I stood clinging to Levi like he was my lifeline because in reality he was. I was once again that toddler who had run into the infamous thug of Underground, begging him to save my mother. Only this time there was no mother to save, this time I was asking Levi to save me once again, to save me from the loneliness that was creeping up around me like the tendrils of a demon.

"Don't be a brat." Levi said pulling me out of his embrace to rest his forehead against mine. His steel colored eyes stared intently into my dark ones as he grasped my hands tightly. I blinked in shock as something smooth slipped into my grasp. "No matter what don't let anyone give you shit."

Standing up Levi smoothed my hair back as I looked down at my hands and gasped. Resting there was Levi's knife, the knife that had saved me years ago. It was a blade that had seen the end of many lives. The fact Levi was entrusting me with this was huge, he never let anyone but himself touch it!

The blade was in perfect condition and didn't give any indication of wear, tear, or rust. It was lovingly cleaned to perfection and I swore I would keep it just like that.

Slipping the blade into the sleeve of my shirt I wiped my face clean with the back of my hand making Levi grimace. Laughing I tugged Levi down to my height and placed a gentle kiss upon his cheek. "I love you big brother."

"Until we meet again, brat. Don't forget all that I taught you."

"Yes, Heichou!" I saluted making him raise an eyebrow in amusement. Laughing I turned on my heel to hug Isabel and Farlan.

"Don't worry little sis will be together again soon!"

I have no doubt.

"Isabel's right for once Sora. Will be together when everything is said and done."

Hopefully there will be a happy ending.

Rubbing my eyes one last time I turned around and took a deep breath before marching to the open carriage. Mr. Johnson already resided inside, most likely he wanted to give us privacy as I threw my tantrum. He offered me a gentle smile which I returned as the door closed behind me, hearing the reins snap the carriage lurched forward with a jolt and we were off.

Opening the window I stuck my head out and waved to my family as they stayed put. Isabel was jumping up and down waving back wildly. Her red pigtails dancing in the air as her emerald orbs showed me a fiery determination. Farlan had his hand lifted up once again in a silent farewell as he smiled. Levi stood stockstill as his arms were crossed over his chest, the look in his eyes promised me many things.

"I love you!" I shouted as I continued to wave. I watched my family slowly grow to become miniscule ants along the horizon before disappearing entirely from my view. Finally lowering my hand I rested it against the side of the carriage. Please be safe my mind whispered as I leaned back and sat down.

Releasing a soft sigh I felt the press of the knife against my skin and relaxed considerably. I wasn't alone entirely.

Looking at my escort I smiled, time to at least be sociable. "Thank you for escorting me but can I ask where we're going?"

Erwin most likely mentioned it to Levi when introductions were made to Mr. Johnson but in my distraught state I couldn't hear a thing.

"Will be heading to the district town of Shiganshina in the exterior of Maria. From what I hear the town is lovely this time of year and…..are you alright, child?"

No I wasn't.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." I said quickly as I shoved my head out the carriage window and hurled.

**XxxXxx**

**Alex:And done! Not gonna lie I teared up a bit writing this but I had fun nevertheless. As always leave me a review and tell me your thoughts:)**


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